Westinghouse's new TX Series of 1080p LCDs includes 42-, 47-, and 52-inch models, all of which allow you to output 1080p through all HD-capable connections, including component video. The series' release date is listed as March 2008, and prices are expected to range from $1199 to $2499. The 47-inch model will be offered in both a standard 60 Hz model and in a 120 Hz option. The company is also releasing a full complement of 720p panels at lower price points.
I, too, saw Pioneer's Extreme Contrast demo today and completely agree with everything Shane says in his earlier post. Now, just imagine an image that striking in a cabinet this striking? Another Project Kuro concept design, this 50-inch plasma measures just 9mm thick and weighs 41 pounds. Pioneer's goal is to combine these technologies in future models, but don't expect to see a real-world product until late 2009 or perhaps 2010.
On the heels of the HD DVD announcements I Blogged on last night, Warner and Paramount announced many of the same titles on Blu-ray as well, many of which will be new releases day and date with DVD..
Spit happens. So do spills, sloshes, fizzes, and squirts. Sometimes you simply feel a little dirty after opening that umpteenth spam e-mail about male enhancement meds. Belkin’s new washable optical mouse takes a licking and keeps on clicking. All the important parts are sealed for your protection, so you can wash off any foreign substances that might find their way onto your mouse. Belkin was promoting this a great mouse for kids’ computers, but I think there are plenty of adults who could use one of these, too.
Vinyl isn't just for well-heeled audiophiles. If you've got access to some great old LPs, or have been buying Arctic Monkeys 45s, the MMF-2.2 turntable will bring 'em to life for $399. If you're digitally au courant, mate it with the Bellari VP530 phono preamp with tube output stage and USB output as well as conventional stereo-out. At $340 bucks, this thing has got us salivating.
Among the many that will be vying for the “Wireless HD Streaming Champion” is Netgear who announced a new HD/Gaming network kit that they say will provide seamless wireless streaming of up to 1080p video around your abode. It’s supposed to be easy to set up and can be added to an existing wireless network without requiring any special software installation.
Pre-matched and easy to install, Netgear's latest home networking accessory brings five-gigahertz power to wirelessly stream even high-definiton video across a high-speed home network, taking advantage of the latest Wi-Fi N developments. This is a boon not just for high-def gamers but also for the growing number of network-enabled HDTVs, providing content with virtually no lag, no jitter, and no interference, as demonstrated at their press event. The Netgear HD/Gaming Wireless-N Kit will be available later this month.
Now, this is the rather fascinating thing about our industry. We love awards so much, we hand out "innovation" awards long before the products actually ship. Thus, I can tell you that while Samsung has just started shipping its "award winning" BD-UP5000 DuoHD dual format player, it has just announced its second generation combi, the BD-UP5500, for release in the second half of 2008! I am not in marketing so I have no idea how it goes selling a player whose successor is already announced before it hits the streets, but there you go.
NAD announced a gaggle of new products, including 4 AV receivers, a tuner pre-pro, DVD player, and amps. The top of the line T785 receiver at $2999 (shown on the bottom in the photo; on the top is the T775, one step down at $2499) is rated at 110W x 7, has multichannel analog inputs and preamp outputs, and 4 in, 1 out HDMI switching. The HDMI 1.1 inputs for the 785 and 775 are fully AV capable, and will accept multichannel PCM on the HDMI AV line. They are also equipped with the Audyssey MultEQ room equalization system.
Panasonic has an entirely new lineup of plasmas scheduled for mid-year introduction. The top 750 series (with new models in 42-, 50, and 58-inch sizes) will include ISF adjustment and tweaks for improved picture quality. No prices were suggested. In a darkened area, Panasonic was demoing a 58-inch design against a 32-inch pro CRT monitor. The plasma arguably won by a nose in image quality and by a mile in impact.
The XV-Z20000 1080p DLP projector remains at the top of Sharp's DLP projector line, now joined by the 720p DT-510 at $2499.99 and XV-Z3100 (shown) at $2699.99 (both in February).
Sony showed this giant 82” LCD prototype, which featured LED backlighting and XVycc color space, but you can actually buy a 70” model (for $33,000) with similar technology. A special SXRD rear-projection prototype was powered by a laser rather than a light bulb and was only 10” deep. While there were many claimed advantages of using a laser as a light source, I found something just a bit wrong-looking about the picture on the SXRD prototype. The current SXRDs looked great as did the LCD sets.
The replacement for the long-running PSB Stratus series should be available soon. Tentative named the T7 Series (the name Stratus may or may not be dropped), it includes multiple woofers (in the larger models), cabinets of extruded aluminum and wood, and the innovative engineering we have come to expect from PSB.
CES 2008
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