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Featured Articles & Reviews
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Yamaha RX-V863 AV Receiver Overview
The RX-V863 is the top of the new mid line receiver offerings from Yamaha. It sports HDMI 1.3 inputs, internal decoding of all the latest HD audio formats, 1080p analogue video upconversion, and two subwoofer outputs. All the bells and whistles include and HD radio tuner, 7x105 watts, and no less that 17 surround modes. All that and more for just under $1k!
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EMP ECA-4 & ECA-44 Compact Satellite Speaker System Review
This is a must have solution for any application requiring a compact clutter free and inconspicuously mounted installation. For a limited time, EMP is extending 50% off their MSRP which makes this system even more attractive and a very uncommon value. So basically $500 gets you 5 high performance compact satellite speakers. I recommend pairing this system with two small but potent subs and you’ve got a “cubed speaker system” killer for under $1k.
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Recently Flat Panel Display Reviews
Westinghouse was showing off a couple of different pieces of tech at this years CES but what was most exciting to us was the 56" QuadHD display. At 3840 x 2160 and 8.3 million pixels, that's essentially four 1080p panels shoved into one display. Clear? Oh yeah.
Toshiba showed off its 2008 LCD TV introductions at CES, including 20 new LCD TV models in five distinct series. The AV500 and CV510 series will obviously appeal to people that are more worried about saving money than 1080p. The RV530, XV540, and XF550 series are for more discerning consumers with larger budgets. We weren't super impressed with these displays as they were easily 5 inches thick though the rep did inform us that they were not final models and might be housed in different cases. We'll see.
Sony was showing off not only their ~$2500 11" OLED displays but a 27" prototype at CES this year. The 27" supposedly sports a greater than 100% NTSC color reproduction, 1,000,000:1 contrast ratio, and 1080p resolution. Of course, at this point, the 11" is out of reach of most people so we can only guess at what a 27" will run.
Samsung had a large display in the center of their CES 2008 booth showing off some of the technology that we may (or may not) see in the future. The lineup at the Samsung booth included two (14.1" and 31") organic light-emitting diode (OLED) TVs in addition to an ultra-slim 52" LCD TV, quadruple full-HD LCD TV, and a 3D ready plasma display. While we don't expect to see all of this technology hit the consumer market, it was nice to have it all in one place where we could check it out in detail.
Philips debuted its 7000 FlatTV series at CES. This new line ranges from 19 to 52 inches (diagonal), and features a rounded edge surrounded by an acrylic edge, which not only gives the set a less rigid look but also enhances the sets technology. The addition of 120Hz ClearLCD technology improves the shadow detail and black levels in dark scenes while greatly diminishing motion artifacts. Calibrating picture settings is a breeze with Philips’ simple, unique settings assistant feature. By using a program similar to an eye test, viewers can select what they perceive as the best picture and sound.
While it seems that we should be excited about an 150" screen, we're really not. It isn't like prices for these are going to come down to the prices of a front projection system any time soon. It's big, it's bad, it's beautiful and we wouldn't kick it out of bed for eating cookies but don't expect a review any time soon.
LG presented its next-generation LCD and plasma product lineup at CES this year. LG’s new LCD TV, the LG60 is, at just 45 mm, features a Full HD 120Hz panel, and Intelligent Sensor which automatically adjusts brightness according to the ambient environment. The PG60 Plasma boasts a contrast ratio of 30,000:1, Dual XD engine, Fluid Motion technology, and THX certification.
It's all about wireless these days and displays are no different. LG was one of many manufacturers that was showing off a wireless TV. The LG71 is a 1080p LCD display that comes in 47" and 52" screen sizes. According to the marketing material, source components can be placed up to 65 feet away from the display though we'd be willing to bet that you'd find that you'd have to place them a lot closer without line of sight.
Pioneer unveiled concepts for future display technologies under the code name “Project KURO.” The two concept display technologies dealt with extreme black levels as well as drastically reduced size (depth) displays. In terms of contrast, Pioneer is challenging the contrast ratio debate by eventually producing a plasma that is absolute black with no measurable light emitting from the television. At the same time, Pioneer previewed an advanced design concept in the form of the world’s thinnest 50-inch display at only nine millimeters (mm) thin.
Not much is known about the new Hitachi Super-thin LCD displays except that they are incredibly thin and likely to hit the market as soon as, or sooner than most other manufacturers. Alongside its 1.5-inch Ultra Thin PDP, Hitachi is also showing off its "super" Ultra Thin LCD which measures an incredible 0.75 (19mm) in depth. First seen at CEATEC in Japan last Fall, this 32-inch wonder offers glimpse at Hitachi's engineering prowess.
Flat Panels
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