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There were a number of announcements from LG at this year’s CES, below is a summary
LG reaffirmed its commitment to Plasma technology with the announcement of new ranges which are lighter and thinner than previous TV’s. Perhaps under pleasure from thinner and thinner LCD sets and future OLED displays weight has been reduced by up to 40% on some models and depth to two inches (5cm for those in this century). Surprisingly LG is still producing 720p models, with the industry pushing 1080p even at smaller sizes this could be simply be to keep up with lower pricing from other manufacturers. Also included is most of the internet streaming partner technologies including YouTube, VUDU, Napster and Netflix. In addition the sets have the capability to make Skype calls if you want to make video calls you will need to purchase a separate video cameras.
On the LDC front new screens where announced with sizes from 19 to 60 inches.
A summary is below:
LD650 Series (47- and 55-inch class sizes*) – A Full HD 1080p HDTV, this LCD HDTV series boasts TruMotion 240Hz performance for reduced motion blur. Other features include: NetCast Entertainment Access, USB Video DLNA, and Wireless-ready technology.
LD550Series (32-, 42-, 46-, 52-, and 60-inch class sizes*) – Also a Full HD 1080p series, these HDTVs are equipped with TruMotion 120Hz. Other features include: NetCast Entertainment Access, USB Video, DLNA, and Wireless-ready technology.
LD520 Series (32-, 42-, 47- and 55-inch class sizes*) – Combines Full HD 1080p with TruMotion 120Hz performance with a variety of screen sizes.
LD450 Series (32-, 37-, 42-, 47-inch class sizes*) – A Full HD 1080p HDTV in a variety of sizes to fit almost any room in the home.
LD350 Series (19-, 22-, 26-, and 32-inch class sizes*) – Provides smaller screen sizes for consumers in a 720p HD model.
INFINIA LE9500 Series (47-, and 55-inch class sizes*) – Full HD 1080p HDTV features uni-layer design with ultra-slim (8.5MM) bezel, Full LED Slim technology with Local Dimming, TruMotion 480Hz and THX Display Certification. Also includes NetCast Entertainment Access, DLNA, wireless broadband ready capabilities, wireless HD ready and 2 USB ports.
INFINIA LE8500 Series (47-, and 55-inch class sizes*) – Includes all the same features of the LE9500 with the exception of the 3D capability, 8.5mm bezel and the Magic Wand remote control. It also features TruMotion 240Hz technology.
INFINIA LE7500 Series (42-, 47-, and 55-inch class sizes*) – Provides consumers with a Full HD 1080p experience, TruMotion 120Hz, and LED Plus technology for local dimming capability. With NetCast Entertainment Access, Wireless HD Technology content is easier to access than ever before without the fuss of too many cords.
LE5500 Series (22-, 26-, 42-, 47-, 55-inch class sizes*) – Includes TruMotion 120Hz, LED Plus Technology, and NetCast Entertainment Access. (Except 22- and 26-inch class sizes).
LE5400 Series (32-, 42-, 47, 55, 60-inch class sizes*) – Full HD 1080p HDTV series includes LED lighting, TruMotion 120Hz, NetCast Entertainment Access, Wi-Fi ready and two USB ports.
LE5300 Series (19-, 22-, 26-, 32-, 37-inch class sizes*) – Brings the slim profile of LED technology to smaller screen sizes. Thirty-two and 37-inch class sizes are Full HD 1080p and feature TruMotion 120Hz technology, while the 19-, 22- and 26-inch class sizes provide a 720p HD picture
LG’s LE9500 incorporates a unique “Magic Wand” remote system that provides an immersive interaction with the set. This “Magic” user interface brings together menus, component controls and even embedded games, which can be accessed using a simple remote that combines minimal buttons and gestures to control the on-screen activity, mirroring a “Wii-like” experience.

LG Blu-ray – LG announced a range of Blu-ray player featuring their NetCast technology allowing streaming of YouTube, VUDU, Napster and Netflix. The top of the BD590 features 802.11n high speed wireless and a 250GB hard disk for storing streamed content. Completing the range is the LHB975 Blu-ray Home Theatre system featuring wireless speakers (yeah if you forget about the power) and built in drawer for iPod/iPhone docking. The LHB535 and LHB335 systems forego the wireless speakers with the LHB535 including a Wi-Fi connection.

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It’s looking increasingly likely that RealD’s glasses systems for 3D TV may be the default system for 3D TV. Previously signed up by Sony and JVC/Kenwood the company has now announced that its system will also be used by Samsung.  With some of the biggest players in TV technology now signed up it looks like RealD could be the dominant system for 3D in the home. This could also mean that with so many companies adopting the same technology that the price could be driven down where the expected premium for 3D over conventional 2D TV’s could be lower than expected.

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Sony and ReadD announced a partnership to use ReadD’s 3D technology in future Sony Bravia TV’s. The ReadD system is currently used in hundreds of cinemas worldwide. Sony will product new LCD TV’s that will work in conjunction with ReadD’s glasses, to bring 3D technology to the home. It has already been announced that the final specification of the Blu-ray 3D standard will work with the Playstation 3 so coupling this with the new Bravia 3D TV’s should be an exciting prospect.

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The Inquirer reports that Sky will start 3D broadcasting before 2010 in the UK. Wee that means they have a month. Read the full story here

Just a word of caution if your thinking or rushing out to pickup a 3D TV for the football. There are few models available and with no standard yet announced for Blu-ray this may be a little premature. LG have a 42 inch commercial display the M4210D which will display 3D for around £7,000, Philips have the 42-3D6W02 which can be found between £6,000 and £9,000 ish online (looks like it may have been discoutinued). There is a very steep price for being in early but you can expect cheaper consumer displays when Sky start broadcasting.

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Sony has announced a new range of Vaio L Series PC’s featuring full 1080p displays with multi-touch capabilities. These new computers feature 24” LCD displays supporting touch allowing the user to interact with images and Windows 7 through touch with Sony’s latest X-Black panels giving excellent images. The some PC’s also feature Blu-ray drives enabling HD disk playback. Processing power will be from Intel’s Core2 Quad processors. Storage will be available up to 1TB with the built-in tuner giving these PC’s full DVR capabilities. The Vaio L Series will be available from October 22nd which is also the launch date for Microsoft’s Windows 7 operating system.

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OK I get the trend for everything wireless but the current trend for wireless TV’s and speakers a little perplexing both these types of devices require and electrical current to drive them so you either have to have a really good battery power solution (which no one is offering) or you have to run a power cable to them. For speakers the wires are traditionally quite thin (I’m not talking the horrors of bell wire here though, good quality cables) and no matter how wireless you TV is there’s no way you can get away without running a power cable, so if you’re running power why not run a single video/audio cable too, isn’t that what HDMI was made for?

Anyway enough rant, LG has announced its new 55LHX and LH85 wireless (cough) TV’s. The 55LHX is THX certified and features LED backlighting giving a claimed 5,000,000:1 dynamic contrast ratio.  The LH85 features LH85 series an 80,000:1 contrast ratio. Additionally, the LH85 series features LG’s 24p Real Cinema technology both sets include ISF expert calibration modes to allow a trained ISF technician to correctly calibrate the TV’s in the environment they are to be enjoyed in.  The TV’s come with a wireless media box featuring all the external connections which are then wirelessly transmitted to the TV.

The 55LHX will be available soon at a manufacturer’s suggested retail price of $4,799 and the LH85 series will be available later this Fall in 55- and 47-inch screen sizes with MSRPs of $3,199 and $2,399, respectively

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LG has launched a new range of ‘borderless’ TV’s. The new SL8000 and SL9000 feature the companies new BORDERLESS™ technology to almost completely eliminate the borders usually found around TV’s. The BORDERLESS™ SL9000 LED TV delivers picture quality as flawless as its smooth surface. Its LED backlight makes possible a dynamic fine contrast ratio of 3,000,000:1. Other features include Bluetooth and HD DivX compatibility. Beneath the SL8000’s beautiful exterior hides a top-end Full HD 1080p SuperIPS panel, which can be finely tuned using LG’s Expert Mode. TruMotion 200Hz ensures that fast onscreen action is always super sharp and a dynamic fine contrast ratio of 150,000:1 gives the TV amazing clarity. LG’s exclusive Intelligent Sensor reduces energy consumption, helping make both TVs friendlier to the environment.

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Well is if you like your HD programming sparse (I like to think of Freesat as HD 1.1 as you only get BBC HD as a complete channel with the odd ITV HD program now and then) well previously only Panasonic had launched TV’s with integrated Freesat receivers so if you want to join the recently disappointed then you have another option.
All the usual features are there, 1080p, 100,000:1 contrast ratio, 24p support, BRAVIA ENGINE™ 3 and Live Colour™ the main difference is that the W5810 offers 100Hz picture processing and the Z5800 comes with 200Hz processing

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THX have revealed that having your TV correctly calibrated can actually reduce its energy consumption by between 15%-50%. Most TV’s are shipped configured for display in a store with bright fluorescent lights which is usually a totally different environment then home viewing.  While THX recommend professional calibration I think even using a test disk such as video essentials or the THX optimiser that is included on a number of DVD’s and also available separately can help mot just improve your picture quality but also reduces the energy used and can help prolong the life of your TV as you will not be driving the electronics and back lights as hard as if you use the manufacturers settings.

The THX study says you could save between $40-$50 per year, that’s a couple of extra movies.

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LG have announced a new range of TV’s featuring it’s NetCast technology based on VUDU’s HDX streaming systems to deliver full 1080p video with Doldy Digital 5.1 sound. The VUDU service features over 2,000 movies with more being added constantly, some available before other subscription services. The new TV’s feature a broadband internet connection and will be able to connect to the service next month in the US.
LG’s 47-inch LCD HDTV (model 47LH50) and 50-inch class* plasma HDTV (model 50PS80) with NetCast Entertainment Access are available now at national retailers with a manufacturer’s suggested retail price of $1,699 and $1,799. LG’s 42-inch LCD (model 42LH50) and 60-inch plasma (model 60PS80) will be available next month.

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LG has announced that the new THX certified LH90 series displays are now available. These new displays offer 1080p with a claimed contrast ratio of 2,000,000:1 and LG’s TruMotion 240Hz technology of offer smooth bright pictures. The sets feature a pre-defined THX movie mode that sets colour and black levels to THX standards. The TV’s are also EnergyStar 3.0 compliant.
The LH90 is available in 55-, 47-, and 42-inch sizes at suggested prices of $3,199.95, $2,399.95, and $1,899.95 respectively.

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To promote the release of The Green Lantern: First Fight on DVD and BluRay in the US on July 28th Warner Bros have released the Facebook Power Ring widget. Once added fans can keep the ring charges 100% to submit additional entries to win a Playstation 3, 40” 1080p HDTV and the movie on BluRay. You can also take IQ tests and see which Green Lantern you are.
Grab your Power Ring here

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Zinnet today announced two new products. First off and of most interest here is the Brite-View Air HD, a wireless HD video sender that can transmit uncompressed HD video up to 70 feet (line of sight, through walls and ceilings will be less). You can connect your BluRay player, HD cable or satellite receiver or HD games console and transmit the signal to another HD TV around your house. The really good news is that it operates in the 4.9GHz-5.9GHz range so it won’t kill your wireless computer network like so many video senders (unless you’re running 8802.11a or 5GHz 802.11n which is not that many people). It also features both analogue component and HDMI inputs so you can connect a couple of devices and remotely switch through the built-in IR extender. The Air HD is available now with a price of $399

Also announced was the CinemaCube (not code shaped) which is a HD (720p) media streamer with built-in P2P bittorrent client (say no more). It also has component and HDMI outputs and a USB port. It can either stream video from a USB memory stick or download video from teh internet directly. It supports most media formats including Xvid, RMVB (Real), WMV, AVI, MP4, MKV, H.264, MP2, MP3, JPEG, BMP and PNG.  The CinemaCube is also available now with a price of €89.

Full details here

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VIZIO, one of the largest selling display brands in the US and one you may never have heard of (certainly if your outside the US) is suing LG America for patent infringement. VIZIO is seeking to stop LG importing selling its display products in the US.

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At the recent Display Week conference Toshiba demonstrated new mobile 3D displays. One uses an ‘integrated imaging system’ which uses a lens array to show 3D images and the second uses a special film developed by 3M couples with alternating backlights which when viewed with special glasses which use LCD ‘shutters’ gives 3D with no loss in resolution.
Full story here

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