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Colorware slings paint onto next logical object: your HDTV

Darren Murph — Thu, 17 Jun 2010 13:33:00 +0000

Bet you never thought people would line up to pay absurd amounts of money to have their otherwise vanilla gizmos coated in some of the swankest paints known to man. Turns out, Colorware has made a living from doing just that for those with vivid imaginations, and the company is finally breaking away from handheld gadgets and heading straight for your den. Starting this week, fat-walleted consumers can ping the company with a custom television request, namely the TV model and desired hue. The outfit's not publishing any sample prices due to the sheer quantity of available HDTVs out there, and sadly, the "send in" option ain't available here -- you buy new or paint yourself, bub. Anyone care to take a poke as to what that fire-engine red masterpiece up above would cost? Nah, we thought not.

Colorware slings paint onto next logical object: your HDTV originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 17 Jun 2010 08:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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NHK prototypes one-fourth of a 116-inch, 8K plasma set (video)

Ross Miller — Fri, 11 Jun 2010 13:47:00 +0000

NHK has been working on 33 megapixel, 8K Super Hi-Vision displays for quite some time now. As the story goes, in 2005 the group's Science and Technology Labs estimated a necessary 0.3mm dot pitch for plasma screens in the 100-inch category to achieve the necessary 7,680 x 4,320 pixels for display. At the time, the best plasma could muster was 0.9mm, but now the researchers have created a prototype 58-inch screen with 0.33mm pixel pitch. Ergo, four such prototypes stacked together should create a 116-inch window to the world that just about displays 8K video. It's still a ways off from market, but be honest, are you really already griping about the visible pixels on your 1080p set? Totally inadequate web video version after the break.

Continue reading NHK prototypes one-fourth of a 116-inch, 8K plasma set (video)

NHK prototypes one-fourth of a 116-inch, 8K plasma set (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 11 Jun 2010 08:47:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Ask Engadget HD: HD projector or HDTV? 2010 edition

Richard Lawler — Thu, 10 Jun 2010 17:01:00 +0000

We checked the calendar and it seems to be about time we revisited one of our favorite questions -- projector or HDTV? Both have their strengths, and since we posed the question in '08, LCDs and plasmas have only gotten bigger and cheaper, while it seems there's 1080p projector currently available to fit every budget and situation, but this time we'll leave the question to our friend Andrew:

"We're in the middle of remodeling, and I'm trying to decide between loading up our living room with the biggest flat-panel HDTV I can afford (65-inches+) or installing a screen and projector setup. There's not a lot of light coming into this particular room so it seems like a projector could be possible and provide more size than we'd ever get out of a LCD or plasma, but I need something that will work for the entire family gaming, watching TV or watching movies. Help!!"

Some questions seem to have no wrong answer, but since even Lloyd Banks can't decide we're putting the question to you: Beamer, flat-panel or rear projection? At what point is the line where jumping from a mere television to a true theater setup make sense, and just how difficult might it be to install? Let us know how you'd choose in the comments below.

Got a burning question that you'd love to toss out for Engadget HD (or its readers) to take a look at? Tired of Google's blank stares when you ask for real-world experiences? Hit us up at ask at engadgethd dawt com and keep an eye on this space -- your inquiry could be next.

Ask Engadget HD: HD projector or HDTV? 2010 edition originally appeared on Engadget HD on Thu, 10 Jun 2010 12:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Panasonic announces 46-, 42-inch plasma 3DTVs for Japan

Richard Lawler — Wed, 09 Jun 2010 05:45:00 +0000

So far, Panasonic's well-reviewed (and naturally, 3D capable) 2010 V-series plasmas have been exclusively a 50-inch and above affair, but it's just announced 46- and 42-inch versions for Japan priced at ¥350,000 ($3,833) and ¥300,000 ($3,285), respectively. Due July 30, it's a fair bet they'll make their way over here in a similar time frame (and with predictably lower MSRPs) just like their larger brethren. Panasonic has reported brisk sales of its initial 3D televisions, but as production ramps up and supply expands, TVs like these are a better fit for many rooms -- and budgets -- so with 3D channels and gaming ready to appear, we'll be eyeing their reception by consumers especially closely.

Panasonic announces 46-, 42-inch plasma 3DTVs for Japan originally appeared on Engadget HD on Wed, 09 Jun 2010 00:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Samsung’s 3D plasmas showing up on real and virtual store shelves all over

Richard Lawler — Wed, 19 May 2010 20:23:00 +0000

If you've been waiting for a plasma 3DTV and Panasonic's VT25 isn't your speed (we don't know how you feel about deep, deep black levels, but c'mon, who can turn down Coraline?) then take a look at Samsung's C7000 line, now in stock (on schedule) pretty much everywhere. The 50-inch PN50C7000 is available for a cool $1,650 at Amazon, $1,797 at Vanns and $1,799 at Best Buy. The 63-inch will cost $3,000 from Amazon, while the 58-inch model is $2,350. Upgrading to the C8000 series and their high end home theater tweaks like Real Black Filter and Motion Judder Canceller (we'll see how well they actually work) raises the price to $3,417, $2,483 & $2,067 for the 63-inch, 58-inch and 50-inch models, respectively. They all have Samsung Apps and grabbing a 3D Blu-ray before you hit the check out nets a couple of pairs of glasses and a copy of Monsters vs. Aliens just to get you started, but we'd wager you'll still be well behind the Black Eyed Peas.

Samsung's 3D plasmas showing up on real and virtual store shelves all over originally appeared on Engadget HD on Wed, 19 May 2010 15:23:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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HDTV tests pit fantasy land specs against real world performance — guess what happens

Richard Lawler — Wed, 19 May 2010 06:12:00 +0000

Good luck keeping up with the ever changing specs on the latest HDTVs, but as the numbers get more impressive, are the displays actually improving in any noticeable way? Dr. Raymond Soneira , president of DisplayMate, goes about breaking down many of the more often misused and misleading technical buzzwords in an article on MaximumPC. If you're wondering how manufacturers have advanced contrast ratios from thousands, to millions, to unlimited over the space of just a few years, there's a breakdown of what "dynamic contrast ratio" actually measures and why it's worth ignoring -- unless you watch your TV when it's only displaying one color at a time. When it comes to colors colors, some of the most scathing words were pointed towards Sharp's Quattron quad-pixel technology, which "can only decrease picture quality and accuracy!"

Whether you believe the good Dr., a glistening review or Cmdr. Sulu, the factual heat burned hottest during a test of motion blur compared on LCDs, LED LCDs, plasmas and even a pro CRT. While additional motion processing and upgraded internals on newer HDTVs can help in many other ways, viewers couldn't detect any blur caused by a display even on an old 60Hz set, despite newer and faster 120Hz, 240Hz and 600Hz (plasma) sets claiming their technology helped them eliminate it. You'll need a minute to read through for the full details but it's a good, and unfortunately necessary, reminder to keep your eyes on the display and not just the spec sheet (just make sure you're getting a proper look that represents the way you watch TV at home first.)

HDTV tests pit fantasy land specs against real world performance -- guess what happens originally appeared on Engadget HD on Wed, 19 May 2010 01:12:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Panasonic sweetens the 3DTV deal with Coraline, Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs 3D Blu-rays

Richard Lawler — Mon, 17 May 2010 21:44:00 +0000

We know what you're thinking: "there's no way I'm buying a 3DTV until there's actually some content available to watch." To tide you over, Panasonic's announced a promotion for new buyers to be among the first to get Coraline and Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs on Blu-ray 3D. Buy any VT25 model HDTV (sorry VT20 suckers), send in the UPC and coupon and 8-14 weeks later (we know, lame, right?) you should be getting two discs in the mail. While two toss-in flicks might not be a good reason to spend $2 - $3 thousand dollars at a time, we can always look back to the dark ages of 2009, when you could spend in the same range and get absolutely nothing as a throw in. No word from Twentieth Century Fox or Universal Studios when they'll be unleashing either flick at retail either, so this could be the best way to get your hands on them for a while -- check out the full details in the press release after the break or on Panasonic's registration website.

Continue reading Panasonic sweetens the 3DTV deal with Coraline, Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs 3D Blu-rays

Panasonic sweetens the 3DTV deal with Coraline, Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs 3D Blu-rays originally appeared on Engadget HD on Mon, 17 May 2010 16:44:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Fujitsu’s curved plasma displays make Roman columns look a little dated

Tim Stevens — Thu, 13 May 2010 20:34:00 +0000

What, your plasma display is flat? How very quaint! Fujitsu would like to make you feel a little less adequate by showing you the wonder that is a curved PDP, seen here stretched around a column for the sake of providing digital signage. Yes, it's perhaps a somewhat boring duty, and not quite as awe-inspiring as the company's massively curvaceous installation at Kansai airport. But, if you're looking for a way to show off orange silhouettes on a field of light blue, baby it doesn't get much better than this.

Fujitsu's curved plasma displays make Roman columns look a little dated originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 13 May 2010 15:34:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Panasonic’s 50-inch TX-P50VT20 plasma reviewed: ‘The best 3D TV to date’

Tim Stevens — Wed, 12 May 2010 15:29:00 +0000

We can see a time in the future, the very near future, where reviews of 3D HDTVs will lose their novelty. But, for now, they're still rare enough to warrant some attention, and so let's take a look at TechRadar's take on Panasonic's first 3D entry, the Viera TX-P50VT20. It's a 50-inch, 1080p plasma that excels as an HDTV, delivering great quality images -- even with SD content. When it comes to 3D the set similarly shines, supporting all of today's various modes of delivering multiple perspectives in a way those active-shutter glasses can decipher. Indeed, it was only those glasses themselves that really scored low marks, said to be uncomfortable to wear and, with their tinting, doing some unfortunate things to the color balance. Still, if you absolutely must have 3D right now, this looks like the best way to do it... for the moment.

Panasonic's 50-inch TX-P50VT20 plasma reviewed: 'The best 3D TV to date' originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 12 May 2010 10:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Poll: Waiting for new HDTV technologies, or planning to buy more of the same?

Richard Lawler — Sun, 09 May 2010 20:59:00 +0000

It's been exactly one year since we asked what display tech you were looking forward to purchasing next, and it's time to see if opinion have changed. 12 months later are you still optimistic OLED displays will ever be on sale in large screen sizes? Impressed by the progress of LCDs? Wowed by the 3D and 2D performance of the latest plasmas? Of course, there's still a few RPTVs kicking around, projectors have their place and there's other display tech on the horizon, so let us know what you're looking forward to in 2010 and beyond.

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Poll: Waiting for new HDTV technologies, or planning to buy more of the same? originally appeared on Engadget HD on Sun, 09 May 2010 15:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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