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Samsung's Neo QLED 4K TVs now come in very large (and very small) sizes
Samsung has introduced new sizes for its high-end TV sets, including 43- and 98-inch Neo QLED sets and an 85-inch The Frame.
Sony unveils its 'true 4K' projector that costs just $5,000
Buying a "4K" projector can be tricky since many companies have displays have lower resolutions and use technology like pixel shifting (JVC and Epson) or special processing (Optoma) to make up for the missing dots. Sony's SXRD technology brings every one of the promised 4K (4,096 x 2,160) pixels but until now have been incredibly pricey. That changes with the VPL-VW285ES just unveiled at CEDIA 2017 in San Diego, a true 4K and HDR projector that has a sticker price of just about $5,000.
LG is ready to sell its stunning 77-inch 4K OLED for $20,000
Just in case LG's line of 2016 OLED TVs wasn't impressive enough already, next month it will ship a massive 77-inch version, complete with 4K resolution and HDR compatibility. Jumping up in size from the $8,000~ 65-inch version won't be cheap, however, as the company announced a $19,999 MSRP. That buys more than just the OLED tech loved for its deep black levels and impressive contrast, as LG is also rolling out its new Signature Concierge service with the premium-priced display.
Sony will have an Ultra HD Blu-ray player -- next year
The PS4 Pro is launching with 4K streaming and only a standard 1080p Blu-ray disc player, but Sony is ready to announce its first Ultra HD Blu-ray device. The UBP-X1000ES will ship in the spring of 2017, however, even then it will be tough to get one since Sony says it will be exclusively available through custom installers at first. The player is ready for "virtually any optical disk format" as well as Atmos and DTS:X audio tracks. From the sounds of things, it will be similar to Panasonic's $699 DMP-UB900, although we can only guess at the price since it has not been announced yet (if you have to ask...).
TiVo combines its biggest, fastest DVRs to make the Bolt+
As soon as TiVo unveiled its Bolt Unified Entertainment System last year, the company's biggest DVR fans started asking "what about us?" That's because despite its new design, 4K streaming and updated features, there was no option with enough tuners and storage to match the top of the line Roamio Pro DVR. Now TiVo is filling that hole with the $499 (plus service fee) Bolt+, which takes the styling and power of the Bolt then adds the ability to record up to 6 channels at once onto a built-in 3TB hard drive.
Kaleidescape teases movie download store; brings Rotten Tomatoes, Leonard Maltin to its servers
Last year at CEDIA we were introduced to Kaleidescape's iPad control app, and this year its back and enhanced with the addition of movie ratings from Rotten Tomatoes, and content rating info from Common Sense Media. Rotten Tomatoes can help viewers tell if a particular flick in their collection is any good, while Common Sense Media is built around detailed breakdowns of what potentially objectionable content is in each title so parents can decide what their children are ready to see. Both should reach end users with the free app by the end of this year. Another tweak it's adding to its movie servers is the Leonard Maltin Recommends Collection. It's a pack of movies updated quarterly (the 17-disc Blu-ray collection is available for the low, low price of $445) that the respected film critic feels are unappreciated greats, to which he adds his own thoughts, anecdotes and behind the scenes info. A more ambitious development however, is the Kaleidescape Download Store the company was giving an "early sneak preview" of behind closed doors. While its claim to fame has always been disc servers that store user's movies, making them accessible with as little physical media interaction as possible (and antagonizing the MPAA) its next step is a full digital media distribution service, potentially tied into UltraViolet. There's not a lot in the way of specifics, but it will be interesting to see how Kaleidescape and Hollywood get along when it comes to selling downloadable content compared to the old wars of the past, whenever the new service actually arrives for its high-end customers.
SIM2's $158k CinemaQuattro 4K DLP projector is for hundred seat home theaters
Even in the land of the outrageous home theater equipment that is CEDIA, SIM2's new CinemaQuattro projector sticks out. The company's first model capable of 4K (4,096 x 2,160) resolution, it's nearly as large as the Italian scooter that also resided in its booth and comes with a price tag of $158,000 -- the old 1080p $58K Grand Cinema seems almost cheap in comparison. While that may be mild overkill for most, if you're Will Smith and need something to screen flicks on for your personal home theater (emphasis on theater), we'd imagine this fits the bill. SIM2 licensed TI's technology from cinema projector maker Christie in order to develop the three chip 4K DLP monster capable of 20,000 ANSI lumens. According to President and CEO Maurizio Cini this gives its dealers access to "the best" technology, and at that price, it just ought to.%Gallery-164722%
JVC reveals e-Shift2 4K scaling projectors, promises true 4K LCDs for under $20k
At CEDIA 2012 JVC showed off its 2012 line of home theater projectors, most which feature its e-Shift2 technology, a new version of the "4K precision" upconversion it introduced last year. While they are not capable of accepting a 4K source (not that you have any 4K Blu-ray discs lying around anyway), they work by creating two 1080p frames from the HD source, shifting one down and to the right. e-Shift2 promises higher native contrast and improved processing over its predecessor thanks to a new polarizing wire grid engine and updated algorithms. All of the new projectors are 3D capable with RF-connected active shutter glasses, and there's a new smartphone app available for controlling settings without interrupting viewing. Of course, a 130,000:1 native contrast ratio doesn't come cheap and the top of the line DLA-X95R/DLA-RS66 models sporting the spec have a pricetag of $11,999. Of course, if you're looking for the 4K upscaling for a (relative) bargain, the DLA-X55R/DLA-RS48 can be had for just a hair under $5,000. That's not all JVC had to display however, as it also brought along one "early pre-production model" of an 84-inch UHDTV it plans to release in the first quarter of 2013. Like its projectors, it will come in both home theater and professional trim branded the RS-840UD and PS-840UD. It may be a price beater as well since JVC is targeting a sub-$20k price tag for both models, which would be well shy of the $25k set Sony just announced. Unlike some of the other 4K screens we've seen it does not include any 3D support, which may be a part of the lower cost. We got a quick peek at the display and the picture looked as sharp and punchy as we've come to expect, and even had less glare than other displays we've seen. Check out all of the prices and specs after the break, and bring your wallet.
LG's 84-inch 4K ultra high definition TV goes on sale in the US next month for $19,999
LG said it would release its 84-inch 4K (3,840 x 2,160, or four times the resolution of your current HDTV) UHDTV outside Korea this month and the company confirmed shipments would be on the way during an event at CEDIA 2012 before also announcing an MSRP of $19,999. According to LG the first units will begin shipping this month, with limited availability through the usual high-end sources slated for October. Just as we'd heard, the 84LM9600 includes LG's passive glasses Cinema 3D technology plus all the Smart TV, WiDi, dual-core L9 processor, 2.2 channel speakers and Magic Remote bells and whistles it can muster. Of course, even $20k currently doesn't buy a large selection of publicly available 4K content, although LG was displaying the unit with standard 1080p content to demonstrate its "Resolution Upscaler Plus" capabilities. The 1080p video we watched was sharp and clear on the big LED backlit set, although there was a bit of glare from the lights in the room -- not atypical for demo setups that aren't exactly like most living rooms. In just a few weeks well-heeled consumers will be able to choose between this and the slightly pricier Sony 84-inch 4K TV, with more competition on the way soon. Also an option: a decently equipped 2013 Ford Focus. Check the press release after the break for all the details, we'll be checking Mark Cuban's couch cushions for spare change. %Gallery-164651%
Sony unveils two new ES receivers that are the first with Control4 built-in, plus one without
Wondering where Sony would go next with its high-end line of ES receivers? The answer is apparently home automation. As we've seen the segment heat up with competition from companies like your cable TV provider and even Google (does anyone remember Android@Home?), Control4 and Sony have announced at CEDIA 2012 that they are partnering up to create a simpler option for the custom install market. While it doesn't address our main gripe with Control4 -- that it needs an authorized dealer to install it or tweak the setup, with all the associated costs -- it does make the STR-DA5800ES (announced last week at IFA) and STR-DA2800ES receivers an easy choice for custom builds by integrating the company's software directly into them. That means less wiring and complication for setup, and not only do the receivers themselves tie in with the system, Sony's ES control apps for iOS and Android can also control the home's automated features. The necessary license to activate the software costs $300 if you buy it along with the receiver, which will cost $2,099 for the STR-DA5800ES and $999 for the STR-DA2800ES. Still want the ES-level build quality, built-in WiFi, Bluetooth and AirPlay support but aren't keen on home automation? Opt for the STR-DA1800ES, priced at $699 -- more details are in the press releases after the break.%Gallery-164473%
Sony sets US pricing for 55-, 65-inch HX950 HDTVs: $4,499 and $5,499
We had to wait an extra week for the US details, but Sony has revealed Stateside pricing for its new top of the line HDTVs at CEDIA 2012. The 55- and 65-inch BRAVIA XBR-HX950 HDTVs have pricetags of $4,499 and $5,499, respectively and the press release promises immediate availability online, at Sony stores and through "select" retailers although we heard they may arrive in force around the same time as the 84-inch 4K monster. The press release also has all the specs for these refreshed versions of the old HX929 champ, which bring along all the local dimming, Gorilla Glass and connected TV features we've come to expect without any additional surprises, although we suspect that won't slow down orders from any fans of the monolith TV style with $5k or so burning a hole in their pocket.
Sony's 84-inch 4K Bravia XBR-84X900 goes up for pre-order tomorrow for $25,000
That stunning and gigantic Bravia that Sony unveiled at IFA, well, we finally have pricing and availability for this potential TV king. The 84-inch Bravia XBR-84X900 (aka the KD-84X9005) will go up for pre-order tomorrow, September 6th, for the jaw-dropping price of $25,000 (let us know when you've stopped hyperventilating). The edge-lit panel wont' be delivering full HD passive 3D entertainment to living rooms until later this fall, however. While orders can be placed less than 24 hours from now, shipments will have to wait until some undetermined day in November. Well, at least that should give you a few months head start on paying this monstrosity off... before the repo men eventually show up to take it off your hands.
Sony's VPL-HW50ES projector revealed at IFA, ships in October
Slotting in above the VPL-HW30ES, this VPL-HW50ES uses a version of the same technology seen in the VW1000ES to process images for 4K does not do 4K at all and of course supports 3D. We're all very familiar with the company's SXRD projectors by now but if you need more information the press release is after the break. While we know these are due to ship across Europe in both black and white by the end of October, what you won't find, at least so far, is a price tag. We'll keep our eyes peeled at CEDIA next week for more information. Update: Whoops, no, this is not a part of Sony's all-4K everything push, and brings merely 1080p resolution with some fancy image processing tech. We're now not quite as excited to see it, but 1,700 lumens of brightness, built-in 3D transmitter and wider lens shift range aren't too disappointing.
CEDIA 2011 odds and ends wrap up: THX, TiVo and plenty of projectors
Another CEDIA is in the books, and if you weren't there, just know the story was -- as it has been in many corners of the country -- the economy. Oh sure, projectors that cost only $10k still seemed value priced, but everywhere you looked companies were extending their products a little closer to the mass market. Whether it's a heavy duty wall mounts, wireless hi fi systems or, most surprisingly, $300 powered shades from companies like Lutron, custom theater equipment is getting cheaper and ready to work in more homes. Interested in remaking a home theater while spending less than $10k and without building an entirely new house around it? 2011 may be your year. As far as the hardware on display, we also got a look at TiVo's new Premiere Elite DVR (hint: it looks and runs like a TiVo) and Dish Network's new Tailgater portable satellite dish. Another treat was an MHL-to-HDMI adapter from DVDO that could make hooking your celly up to pretty much any TV on the go and charging it at the same time easy. At the THX booth, it had its stamp slapped on LG's newest Nano LED lit 3D LCD, as well as a new program for soundbar / subwoofer combinations it says will result in more accurate sound for implementations where surround speakers don't make sense. We also got a demo of its new Media Director protocol that can automatically configure compatible home theater equipment based on the content being watched. The Star Wars Blu-ray discs will be the first ones to ship with the embedded metadata, while partnerships with chipmakers mean software updates could start rolling out shortly for manufacturers that choose to deliver them -- the demo ran on an HDI Dune player -- and next year's new devices should ship with the feature included. The usual slew of projectors included new models from Mitsubishi and Digital Projection, with automatic settings for ultrawidescreen viewing as one of the hot features (other than 4K) this year. For a better look at some of the things we spotted on the show floor check the gallery below, and details in their press releases after the break. %Gallery-133809%
Kaleidescape adds iPad control, ultrawidescreen support to its media servers
Two years after launching its iPhone remote, Kaleidescape has brought a new iPad app to CEDIA 2011 that gives owners of its media servers full control of their media from anywhere in the house. Users can browse their collections based on various metadata, jump directly to favorite scenes of stored movies, or control displays and audio in other rooms of the house. Also new for 2011 is support for 2.35 widescreen viewing with its CinemaScape feature, a software upgrade that can automatically process the video internally and reformats the UI as well. Check after the break for a quick demo of the iPad app which will launch later this year as a free add-on -- assuming you can afford the hardware of course. %Gallery-133070%
Sony brings new media streaming box and updated Google TV hardware to CEDIA
Yesterday was the big day for Sony's 4K projector (still no exact price, but reps mentioned it would be sub $25k -- we know you can afford that) and the US debut of its funky 3D helmet, but now that the CEDIA show floor is open we stopped by its booth and got our hands on a couple of other treats. In one corner we've got its Google TV hardware, updated with a near-release upgrade to Honeycomb and showing off some highlighted apps picked by Google. Over in the other, we have its new SMP-N200 streamer. Check the gallery for a few snaps of us pawing the SMP-N200 (smaller than a bread box, way bigger than a Roku 2) and after the break, a live demonstration of Google TV running Honeycomb -- it's not much, but consider this a taste before Google delivers the Market and other goodies around the end of this month. %Gallery-133016%
JVC shows off projectors with 4K precision, but not quite 4K pixels
JVC first brought 4K home with its $175k DLA-RS4000 and now it's back with four new models with greater than HD resolution at much easier to swallow prices. You'll note the term used is "with 4K precision", because strictly speaking these don't project over 4,000 pixels of horizontal resolution, coming in at a still impressive 3,840 x 2,160 resolution. While this is still about four times the number of a standard HD image, it's less than say, Sony's VPL-VW1000ES. Filling in the difference is JVC's e-Shift technology, which was originally developed for its 8K projector. It works by creating two 1080p frames, with one shifted down diagonally and alternated at 120Hz to create the effect. The scheme is not far off from the old wobulation technology featured in some "1080p" DLPs once upon a time, but this time there are no moving parts as it's all being done electronically. Shown off with an HD resolution source the upscaled image was still impressively sharp to us, even up close, while it also handles native 4K feed. While JVC may not be winning on raw pixel count, what it does have is a serious price advantage. Sony indicated its hardware would be available for "less than $25,000" but the top of the line JVC has an MSRP of just $12k, while the cheaper model will be $7,999 when they all ship in November. Check out the press release after the break and images in the gallery for details, including those so rarely seen native contrast ratio measurements. %Gallery-132988%
LG's 55-inch LW9800 3D HDTV earns THX certification, our home theater respect
Let's face it. We live in a world chock full of entertainment options. With more means of accessing the visual goods, comes less reason to leave the house. Well, LG's aiming to make the cinema experience even more passé with its 55-inch Nano Full LED Cinema LW9800 3D HDTV set. Recently shown off at CEDIA 2011, the slim, flat panel is the first passive 3D display to garner THX certification, delivering HD enthusiasts closer to true "movie experiences." The 480Hz TV utilizes film-pattern retarder tech to optimize 3D image separation, and also includes LG's Smart TV suite of streaming video services (Hulu Plus, Amazon Instant Video, et al.) and app store. So, if you're ready to roll your eyes at Lucas' latest tweaks from the comfort of your couch, get set to fork over $3,800 and join the at-home grousing.
Sony announces a 4K projector for the home, prices HMZ-T1 3D head mounted display in the US
There's a new king atop Sony's line of ES projectors: the VPL-VW1000ES. Presented at CEDIA this afternoon, it bypasses all the beamers Sony's delivered for home use so far -- including the recent VPL-HW30AES and VPL-VW95ES models -- by featuring a stunning 4K resolution, four times that of standard HD projectors based on an all new SXRD panel. Scheduled to go on sale this December it also claims a 1,000,000:1 contrast ratio and 2,000 ANSI lumens of brightness that allows it to project on screens of sizes up to 200-inches. Whether or not you can scrape together the ducats for a 4K projector this Christmas, there are other options for home theater nuts in the form of two new receivers for the ES line that will also be available. The STR-DA5700ES and STR-DA3700ES will ship in November but more than their hardware specs, they feature a new onscreen UI that's supposed to be easier to use. The only device at the presentation with a pricetag was the HMZ-T1 3D viewer we tried out at IFA last week, which has been announced for the US in November with a price "around" $799. Expect more in person pics in a moment, meanwhile the press releases after the break have all the information currently available. Update: Now with more pictures. During the presentation Sony showed a 4K clip from its upcoming Spiderman flick on a VPL-VW1000ES that looked every bit as beautiful as you might imagine. Also in the gallery is a shot of the new "activity based UI" for the receivers that looks at least something like the graphical upgrade the XMB has always needed. You'll also spy one more device, the funky new SA-NS500 Network Speaker. It's a portable sound blaster with 6 hours of battery life and AirPlay compatibility for $399, shipping in November. %Gallery-132923%
TiVo Premiere Elite will bring quad tuners, 2TB storage to retail this year
When TiVo announced its first quad tuner DVR, the Premiere Q, fans were devastated to learn it would only be available via cable operators, and that it featured a smallish 500GB hard drive. Fortunately, the company has rectified both of those issues by announcing the TiVo Premiere Elite, a quad tuner Series 4 DVR with 2TB of storage built that will be available through TiVo.com, Best Buy's Magnolia stores and authorized home theater installers. There's no word yet on price or an exact release date, as all of this is still pending a waiver from the FCC allowing TiVo to sell the box without any OTA or analog cable tuners, making this a digital cable (or Verizon FiOS) only experience. It's also THX Certified and most of the press release is dedicated to focusing on the high end nature of the hardware TiVo is unleashing. Also unmentioned so far is any retail edition of the TiVo Preview multiroom extender box, but we should get some hands-on time with this quad tuner edition very shortly during CEDIA 2011. For now, just check out the press release, included after the break, and for our European readers Engadget Spanish has you covered on the launch of the TiVo Premiere for ONO in Spain. Update: The official TiVo.com/elite page is live, and reveals the price as $499 "with service", $499 additional for a lifetime subscription. [Thanks @PhilipSaad] %Gallery-132837%