There are really only two reasons we’ll hang around waiting for a gadget: either it’s so impressive that it hurts, or it’s a total bargain. Vizio’s 50-inch VP505XVT plasma HDTV fell for the most part in the latter category, being a steal at just $1,499.99, but with at least half a foot in the door of the first category, thanks to the Silicon Optix REON HQV processing engine. Announced back at CES 2008, the display is finally shipping and the first reviews look promising.
You know when you go to the local electronics store and see the biggest TV they offer and think, “Geez, that’s just too big for my living room.” Well, take that feeling and multiply it by 100 and that’s how you’d feel about the 150-inch plasma screen prototype from Panasonic. In a word, this thing is massive.
Panasonic showed off its 103-inch Plasma with an additional of 3D system at the opening of CEATEC, in Japan. The demonstration kicked off with a set of battery powered 3D goggles and Blu-Ray player in a big Plasma screen. What? Another 3D technology that requires goggles? The company claimed they have developed the World’s first full HD Plasma Theater System with true-to-life 3D images; technology utilized a sequential image processing to distribute full HD video to left and right eye from Blu-ray source.
Hitachi announced their 50-inch plasma display yesterday at CEDIA 2008 and it is stunning to look at. At just 1.5″ thick, this plasma screen is brilliant, colorful and–of course–expensive.
Panasonic has obviously been encouraging its VIERA plasma HDTV range to hit the gym, as the company showed up at IFA 2008 with two new prototypes measuring just 24.7mm deep. The screens, in 50, 58 and 60-inch sizes, are a mere quarter of the thickness of current Panasonic plasmas.
When you’re done playing your video games for the day, or even just watching your television, the TV Cozy is designed to keep your television feeling loved. The cover protects your LCD or Plasma screen from dust and debris and can also add a little color to your living room.
Panasonic will be bringing their latest super-sized plasma TV to IFA 2008, in the shape of the 103-inch VIERA TH-103PZ800. This is no prototype or demo model, though; stump up $50,000 and you can take the HDTV home, complete with a 10,000:1 contrast ratio, 24p playback, Deep Color and x.v.Color support.
One concern many people have about plasma TVs is their relatively short lifespan. And until recently, it was commonly thought that you’d only get a few years out of your plasma screen before it was destined for the junk bin. But now it seems you could hang onto that flat-panel a good while longer.
If your TV tastes swing a little larger than their new Touch of Color monitors, Samsung have just the larger screens for you. Unveiling its holiday lineup of Series 6 through 9 LCD and plasma HDTVs, the company has extended Touch of Color throughout as well as adding features such as compatibility with USB flash drives and RSS for on-screen news and weather updates.
Shinoda Plasma has ignored the usual plasma/LCD rat-race and instead turned to developing larger, flexible panels for next-gen applications. Its latest prototype, a 125-inch film-type display, measures 3m long by 1m tall and is just 1mm thick. Currently it offers 960 x 360 resolution, obviously less than HD-compatible plasmas on the market today, but then again not many of the screens you see in the shops can be curved around your walls.
JP
