Sharp LC 26D4U looks more expensive than it really is. This sleek black lcd is thin, light and can be mounted easily on to your wall.

The model is Digital Cable Ready and comes with a CABLECARD slot. It’s diplay resolution is 1366 x 768 and contrast ratio is at par with other units this size at 4000:1.

It has an in-built HD tuner and includes a HDMI and 2 HD component video inputs .

Other Review(s):

At Cnet, some has hailed the LC 26D4U as “outstanding” and “awesome” and gets an 8.4 stars

IMPORTANT:
Please note that some LC 26D4U may need a firmware update. If it’s shipped somewhere around or before August 2006, it could have the 1.03 and 1.11 firmwares. So ask your store to update it before they send the unit to your home. It’d save you a lot of headache.

RETAIL AT: around $850

Washington DC (September 25, 2006) – Pioneer has filed a lawsuit against Samsung Electronics, saying that the company have violated Pioneer’s Plasma TV display patent.

Samsung spokesman however said “we are not using their patents,” He also added that “(The lawsuit) is not a big deal.”

According to Dow Jones, the two companies have been negotiating for a resolution since 2005 but have failed to reach a conclusion.

Pioneer’s plasma TV sales have been slow despite the fact that it’s tv are among the best. Display Search, a research firm, says Panasonic leads in Plasma TV sales with 28.3 percent; LG Electronics is second with 17.1 percent. The Korean company, Samsung stands in the third place with 13.1 percent.

Great news to those tv maniacs with lots of money to burn.

At last, the HDTV is finally getting some competition. Philips, Toshiba and Sharp are all said to be developing new televisions that will display 3D images on screen.

Those tvs have actually been sold to businesses for around $12000 but consumers have to wait for several years before it make it’s way into our homes.

Gamers are set to be the first to enjoy such tv since all 3D games are currently played in 2D display.

Those days of faking greatness may be over for some Hollywood celebrities.

With the advancement of HDTV into homes, you could clearly see which actors and actresses are the beauties and which are the ugly beasts.

Some may look more stunning when every single details of their faces is exposed, others may want to hide behind their closet.

Among the not-so-hot lists are Britney Spears who seems to looks like she’s a tired 34 year old stepmother and Teri Hatcher who really, really  needs a face makeover (even without HDTV we can all see this).

The 2006 HDTV Worse List

Among the best are the sultry Scarlett Johansson.

The 2006 HDTV Honeys

On Thursday, HP unveiled it’s latest HDTV - the 37 inch SLC3760N.

This TV boasts an 802.11 Wi-Fi radio along with standard Ethernet connection. The only hi-def tv in it’s class to offer this feature, you’d be able to enjoy streaming content and access your pc hard drives through it’s wired and wireless network.

The SLC3760N 37 inch MediaSmart High-Definition LCD TV is set to be sold for $2,199

This time we decided to review Sony’s HT-DDW670 Home Theater in a Box System to complement your tv set.

The DDW670 features 5 speakers with one center speaker and four satellite speakers, an SS-WMSP67 subwoofer, and the STR-K670P receiver. The receiver pumps 100 watts per channel x 5 channels and 100 additional watts to the subwoofer, for a powerful 600 total watts.

The satellite speakers are wall mountable while the the subwoofer and center speaker are equipped with magnetic shielding. Thus, these speakers can be placed near a television or pc monitor and cause no picture degradation.
If you’re looking for an entry level home theather that is easy to set up and has great sound, HT-DDW670 should definately be considered.

SPECIFICATIONS
Connector type

• 1 x SPDIF input (TOS Link) - Rear, 1 x SPDIF input (RCA phono) - Rear, 2 x Audio line-in (RCA phono x 2) - Rear, 1 x Audio line-out (RCA phono x 2) - Rear

Amplifier output details

• 100 Watt - THD10 % - 1 channel(s) (Center), 100 Watt - THD10 % - 2 channel(s) (Front), 100 Watt - THD10 % - 2 channel(s) (Rear), 100 Watt - THD10 % - 1 channel(s) (Subwoofer)

REVIEWS:

At Cnet, the HT-DDW670 receives an 8.5/10 ratings from it’s users.

A user said “I had previously owned a very expensive Technics system, which did not have optical inputs and did not have Dolby 5.1 or DTS.

I found this Sony system and decided to go with it. It sounds just as good as my expensive, yet older Technics system, and it is much smaller. I highly recommend this system to anyone wanting low cost, high quality home theatre sound.”

Amazon customer give the HT-DDW670 a 5 star ratings.
One of them said “If you want a home theatre that is easy to set up, plays quality sound and adds to your movie viewing experience at home, then this is the system for you.

The surround sound is exceptional, the speaker quality is excellent and the subwoofer booms the bass sounds.”

RETAIL AT: around $200

If you’d like to have a tv for your bedroom, take a look at this set.

The Toshiba MD20F52 is 20 inch tv-dvd player combo with pure flat screen tv that is easy to use, saves you some space and plenty of money.

The DVD player that comes with it is compatible with DVD-R, VCD, and CD-R/CD-RW discs. Apart from that, you can also play discs burned with MP3 and WMA digital audio files.

A great feature that the dvd player has is the The Tray Lock. This feature allows a disc to be loaded into the tray and secured with an on-screen code. Thus, your kids will not be able to mess up with your dvd disks -something that usually happens for a family tv set.

Connections:

• Composite A/V: 2 (1 front)
• RF: 1
• Digital audio output: 1 coaxial
• Headphone: 1

If you’re looking for a simple set, MD20F52 from Toshiba may be the answer. The picture is clear, comes with a good dvd player and does it’s job.

Other Reviews:

A buyer of MD20F52 at Amazon says “The picture is very superior to my much larger (39″) tv, and it sounds great. I’ve stuck a number of DVDs in it, from various commercial sources, as well as some homemade ones, and they all play - in fact, I haven’t found a format among any of my discs yet that it will not accomodate.

The size is perfect for a second set, to go into a bedroom, for instance. It’s a bit deeper than I imagined it would be, so that it completely fills the space I have for it, but it does fit nicely. I like that the set has jacks located both front and back - it’s convenient, even though it adds to the busy look of the front.”

RETAIL AT: around $200

Samsung’s HL-S5687W 56 inch DLP TV makes the luxury home theater experience more affordable and feature-rich than ever.

With it’s hidden speaker design, this HL-S5687W is slim and sleek. Samsung’s breakthrough DACS (Dedicated Acoustic Chamber Speakers) feature dual dedicated acoustic chambers for low-range, separate mid/high-range speakers, and a robust 10 Watt x 2 audio system.

It’s one of the best priced rear projection HDTV and comes with 2 HDMI input and 4 adjustable picture modes for your viewing pleasure. Gamers would also be pleased to know that Samsung has worked with Microsoft for a special Game mode that optimizes graphic and sound for realistic video game play.

Connections:

• Component (Y/Pb/Pr): 2 inputs
• HDMI: 2 inputs
• Composite (RCA audio/video): 3 inputs (1 on the front)
• S-Video: 2 inputs
• PC: 1 D-Sub-15 input
• PC audio: 1 input
• RF: 1 input
• Sound monitor output: 1
• USB: 1

The Good:
It’s definately of of the least expensive HDTV that offers good color clarity,state of the art 1080p, improved DLP chip and 2 HDMI input.

The Bad:
HL-S5687W has no PiP (picture in picture), Firewire and Cablecard.

Other HL-S5687W TV Reviews:

Cnet editors have wrote extensively about this unit and says “With a slick design, well-rounded features, and solid performance, the Samsung HL-S5687W is a top choice for people who want a 1080p big-screen but don’t want to break the bank.”

At Amazon, buyers have been giving top stars for this HL-S5687W. A customer said “I think the guy writing the review below was right on, except this is better than the SONY. I too need to literally tear myself away from this thing! It’s just beautiful to watch. This Samsung has actually surpassed my high expectations and I give it 5 stars.”

RETAIL AT: around $2300

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The Sony KDF-E42A10 Rear Projection TV is a 42 inch tv is a digital cable ready tv with built in analog an HDTV digital tuners.

The KDF-E42A10 tv replaces the analog waveform with the HD equivalent and will double the number of vertical and horizontal lines.

As a result, you’d get four times the density for quality sources, such as DVD, satellite and digital camcorders - which means better and clearer pictures.

If you’re one of those people who do not bother reading up a manual, this tv is a blessing. It’s easy to set up yet has many adjustable features. It also comes with an “altitude setting” for those who live in high altitude places.

The Good Part
The KDF-E42A10 Rear Projection tv is cheaper than lcd or plasma, uses less energy, generates less heat and is light enough for one person to move around.

Because it uses plastic screen there’s less glare, and the single bulb is user serviceable. Best of all; no burn-in issue to worry about.

The Bad
Several customers have reported that their tv fail to turn either on or off. The problem is easily rectified by a free firmware update by Sony.

This problem affect only a small portion of KDF-E42A10 shipped.

Secondly if you enjoy PiP (Picture in Picture) features offered by most HDTVs, you’d miss it in this unit. This tv has no such feature.

KDF-E42A10 Specifications

Projector Technology : LCD
Display Resolution :1280 x 720 pixels
Broadcast Format Displayed :720p (HDTV) • 480p (EDTV) • 480i (SDTV)
Aspect Ratio :16:9
Surround Sound Type : DTS
Speaker Power : 2 x 12 Watt

Rear Input Connectors: S-Video x 1 • Component x 2 • Composite x 2 • Audio (RCA) x 5 • RF x 1 • 1 x D-Sub (RGB PC) • Audio (Mini Jack) x 1

Front Input Connectors: Component x 1 • Composite x 1 • Audio (RCA) x 1

Other KDF-E42A10 Reviews

Cnet editors took a look at KDF-E42A10 Projection TV and says “If the 42-inch Sony Grand Wega KDF-42A10 performs similarly to its 50-inch brother, it should be able to display nearly all the resolution of a native 720p HD signal.

It should also have relatively solid black-level performance (for a LCD rear-projection set) and 2:3 pull-down in its video processing. Other perks include three independent memories per input, three component-video inputs, and a PC input.”

DTV City says that ” 42 inches of dream picture quality can be found in the KDF-E42A10 Grand WEGA LCD Rear Projection Television. The Sony KDF-E42A10 rear projection TV delivers natural color reproduction and exceptional brightness levels due to 3LCD technology with 1280 x 720 HDTV screen resolution.”

A customer at Epinions reviews this KDF-E42A10 and said “I compared this TV side-by-side with the Samsung DLP 42 inch and I personally believed the Sony kicked its butt. My friend has an older DLP Samsung and it’s nice, but for some reason I think Sony has outpaced Samsung now, or Samsung let their quality go or something. If the price is equal, I’d say Sony is the better bet. If the Samsung is a lot cheaper, than it might be a good option to save some money. As far as I know, though, the Sony is actually less.

I miss the PIP of the old set, but after a few weeks I’m sure I’ll forget I had it. Just use the jump button or switch back and forth between OTA and cable if you wanna watch two games at once. Still, I liked the side-by-side PIP of the older Sony set.”

RETAIL AT: around $1000 

Okay, I admit that I might sound a bit too excited with my title up there. But let me tell you this. You would be as excited as I am if you ever watch this unit shows off it’s spectacular picture quality. You’d simply be blown away.

The newly rebranded WEGA ( now is called BRAVIA) sets are peerless. Take this 40 inch KDL-V40XBR1. The picture is so clear, detailed and crisp you’ll be able to see sweating beads, very fine wrinkles and waves of far away oceans in your tv. You’d feel as if you’ve just been given new eyes.

I sincerely believe this new line of lcds are set to woo back Sony’s previous fans who have since flocked to Pioneer, Sharp or Panasonic.

With the Bravias, you’ll get vibrant colors that seems to be “alive” and if it’s hooked to your DVD or XBOX, the graphics is simply awesome.

It’s viewing angle is 178 degrees, weigh only 40 kg and is only around 12 cm thick. Put it in a dark room or bright one and you’d still enjoy it’s performance. No glare to worry you at all.

It comes with standard IO that you’d expect an LCD should have and there’s also a VGA connector if you fancy using this set as your pc’s monitor. Of course, you can also hook your digital camera to it’s input to view slideshow too.

Out of the box, the tv’s pixel size and color saturation is excellent. it’s color accuracy is a little off but very acceptable ( you can tweak it later to suit your preference).

The only problem with this unit is the fact that it has only 1 HDMI input and it’s price. Like other Bravia sets, this set is only for those who are really serious about home entertainment (or have lot’s of money to burn).

Go buy this KDL-V40XBR1 and watch the Lord of the Rings - the Return of The King.

To cover back some of the money you spent on this unit, invite your co-workers and charge them $10 bucks per head.

Note: This tv is nomited as the best LCD for 2006 by at least 2 magazines and a few other online lcd review sites.

RETAIL AT: around $2800