New Facts Just In - By the End of the Month, TVSnob Should Have A Gazillion Readers!
Here's some new math for you:
An estimated 800,000 to 1 million adults will buy HDTV (High Definition Television Sets) over the next year, according to a report by Continental Research on Digital TV.
Jon Beaumont, director at Continental Research, said: "Of all respondents aware of HDTV, 2% claimed already to have HDTV, 7% claimed to be very interested and 36% quite interested. From this data we estimate that between 800,000 and 1m homes will purchase an HDTV set in the next 12 months. Potentially one million converts to HDTV will certainly please the manufacturers at such an early stage in its evolution."
I don't doubt a lot of people will buy HDTVs over the next year but how did they come up with those numbers and how many people did they survey?
What do you bet the survey was commisioned by HDTV makers?
Panasonic Announces First Blu-Ray Player to Debut in September
Woo Hoo! High Definition DVDs are are almost here. According to PCPro:
Japanese consumer electronics giant Panasonic has announced that it expects to introduce its first Blu-Ray DVD player, the DMP-BD10, in September. Although pricing has not been finalised, the company says it expects to start selling the new machines at under $1,500 in the US.
The company says that it will also be introducing a high definition television set at the same time to accompany the DMP-BD10.
The Blu-Ray format will be able to hold over 50GB of data on a dual layer disc - far more than the current generation of DVD discs. However the new high definition plasma televisions which are currently being sold in anticipation of the launch of high definition broadcasts this summer will require higher capacity discs to show movies with the same crystal clear display.
Still, I think I'll wait till the price comes down quite a bit. What about you?
Have I ever mentioned my love for my DVR? Oh yeah, I think I did Once! Anyway, it looks like the push to do away with the conventional DVR has started. According to RedHerring.com:
Cablevision Systems said Monday it will begin testing digital video recorder technology as a service that stores shows on Cablevision’s own servers.
DVR technology typically allows cable and satellite service subscribers to store programs on hardware devices that are usually incorporated into the set-top boxes in their homes.
But Cablevision will offer its 2 million digital cable subscribers the option of storing the programs in Cablevision’s facilities at the point where the TV signal originates.
The option, which the Bethpage, New York-based cable operator is calling remote-access digital video recorder service (RS-DVR), will allow customers with traditional set-top boxes to get all of the benefits of hardware DVRs without the additional monthly expense of an upgraded box.
I got no qualms about this type of cable service. As it is now, if my cable service goes out, my DVR is useless anyway. What would really be cool about the new service is if you can watch your recorded shows on any TV in the house, something that's impossible with the standard DVR service.
If anyone is in the Cablevision market and testing this service let us know.
Lately I've been harping on this fact about HDTV, price isn't everything. While you want to comparison shop, is it really worth saving a few hundred bucks for a TV you won't be happy with? Here's an article at the Chicago Tribune that backs up what I've been saying:
A recent review on Cnet.com, for example, featured horrible phrases like black levels, native resolution, color temperatures, full calibration, red push, grayscale variation, overscan, DC restoration and defeatable-edge enhancement.
Nobody should have to learn what these words mean. Is it necessary when shopping for a high-definition television?
Two leading experts say no.
And they offer the following practical and sometimes surprising advice for when you decide it's time to buy a high-definition television.............Read More
While you should always look for a deal on the internet, be sure to go to you to your local electronics store and check out the TVs close up. Then go home and look for the best deal possible on the internet.
Better act fast before you miss out on your chance to get "Planet of the Apes - The Ultimate DVD Collection - With Ape Head Packaging". Wow, DVD marketing is getting weird. I think I'll stick with "Quantum Leap" or maybe even "Northern Exposure". Yep, I got no sense of adventure!
Quantum Leap - The Complete Fourth Season
Northern Exposure - The Complete Fourth Season
Six Feet Under - The Complete Fifth Season
Planet of the Apes - The Ultimate DVD Collection - With Ape Head Packaging
If you haven't figured it out by now, we love you! Because of that, we've been adding tools to make your TVSnob reading experience more enjoyable.
One of our newest tools is a great weekly update from FeedBlitz. As you can see from the following image, this email with the TVSnob Weekly Roundup shows up in your mailbox before you wake up each Monday morning. That way, you can keep up with everything you might have missed during your busy week.
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Amazon Now Listing the TCD649180 Dual Tuner Series 2 TiVo
If you want a dual-tuner TiVo and you just can't wait for the series 3 TiVo we told you about in January, we've got an option for you. It appears that Amazon and a few other sites are listing the TCD649180 Series 2 TiVo with these specs:
Dual Tuners
180-hour recording capacity
Ethernet and USB ports for home networking
There's no support for HDTV but if you really want a dual tuner TiVo, you may want to jump on this when it's available. I say "when available" because the TCD649180 is listed but you can't purchase it yet. It should be available soon, so just keep checking back.
Heck, we can't even find an image on this baby yet. We do know the MSRP for the TCD649180 is $349.
According to the analysis of the Nielsen Media Research data by Alan Wurtzel, president of NBC Universal TV Research and Media Development, the drop in TV ad effectiveness in homes with DVRs is less than 3 percent, while non-DVR households had a drop of 7 percent.
Television viewers' use of TV remote devices to avoid commercials by changing channels and muting is the main reason for the drop in ad effectiveness in non-DVR households, writes Mediapost.
I don't really doubt those statistics. What confuses me is why a major network like NBC is pointing the difference out. Maybe to charge advertisers more in areas where cable and satellite use is more predominate and the use of a DVR is more likely? Don't know what, but something's up.
Keep On Top of the Modern Board and Social Game Revolution at CriticalGamers.com
Is your closet full of mid-century board game titles like Monopoly and Sorry!? Are you still answering questions about 1980's science and technology questions from a dusty version of Trivial Pursuit? The staff at www.CriticalGamers.com can help move you from the drab repetitive gameplay of yester-year into the entertaining world of modern Eurogames and social card games.
Blogpire Productions is pleased to announce the addition of www.CriticalGamers.com to our growing family of product- and category-specific Web logs. CriticalGamers.com will provide news and reviews of social board games, Eurogames, and card games. Critcal Gamer's goal is to weed-out the mediocre from the slew of modern table top game titles, and to keep readers posted on what's new and popular in the world of social gaming.
So the 2006 NCAA College Basketball Tournament resumes tonight. We're down to the sixteen best teams, so get ready for some great college basketball.
I'm sure they're be a lot of rooting against George Mason tomorrow night because they sure screwed up a lot of brackets this year. Who know's, maybe they'll win the whole thing this year (see what that does to your bracket).
The games are on CBS starting at 7:00PM EST tonight.
For some people, it's not how much that new plasma TV costs, but how good the picture is. I mean, what good is it to save a $1000 and not be happy with the picture? So if you're willing to spend the money, you'll want to take a look at this review of NEC's 42XR4 42-inch Plasma HDTV from PCMag that starts:
The NEC 42XR4 ($3,995 list) is the most impressive a 42-inch plasma display panel that PC Magazine has tested to date. It doesn't include many extras, and its advanced picture controls demand professional setup, but with some tweaking, this TV's accurate and faithful video reproduction is a pleasure for the eyes.
and finishes:
The 42XR4 is a 42-inch plasma display that, post-calibration, delivered the most impressive imagery that we have seen from any plasma TV in its class. Subjectively, both DVD movies and HDTV appear pleasingly correct, with accurate colors and detailed imagery. The 42XR4 strikes me as a great plasma display that was designed for professional installation. The à la carte accessories and the advanced menu options (which can be hidden when not in use) are ideal for customizing the display to its owner. Yes, the 42XR4 costs more than most other 42-inch plasma displays, but I have yet to see a 42-inch TV come this close to image perfection.
There's nothing better than being a mobile TVSnob. Back in January we mentioned Sling Media's plan to offer SlingPlayer Mobile for Windows Mobile PDAs, allowing Slingbox owners the ability to stream their television shows to their PDA. Now you download a beta version and according to Sling media:
Beginning April 26th, the retail SlingPlayer Mobile software will be available for $29.99 and includes a free 30 day trial. Slingbox owners who purchase and register their Slingbox prior to April 26th will receive a free license for SlingPlayer Mobile. There are no monthly or recurring charges for the use of SlingPlayer Mobile.
So if you've got a Slingbox and a PDA, you'll want to download the software and give it a shot. If you're considering a Slingbox, you might want to get one by April 26th so you can get SlingPlayer Mobile for free.
For the Love of Mike! Start your Freakin' Shows on Time
**Rant Alert**
So last night I watched the "Shield" Finale. Basically the season ended the way I expected, lot's of trauma and sadness. Anyway here's the deal. FX was cool enough to put the "Shield" on twice in a row at 9PM and 10:30PM (seems to be the fad now to put premieres on multiple times in a row), which was pretty cool. While I almost never watch shows live (have I ever mentioned I'm a DVR junkie), I decided to catch the 10:30 episode.
So, Imagine my surprise when I flip to FX at 10:30 exactly and the last 2 minutes of the episode is playing out. I'm not going to give details in case you haven't seen it yet, but that last 2 minutes show all of the dead and alive participants (yeah, we knew somebody was going to die) in the same scene.
Stupid Freakin' FX!! Luckily I did one of the "Popeye" eyewinks so I could blur my vision and hit the mute button all at the same time, and being in as great as shape as I'm in, I pulled every muscle in my body. The problem was I couldn't change the channel because I was recording the show, so I had to glance at the screen every few seconds with my eyes almost closed to find out when the show was over.
Yep, I looked like a complete moron and have massive injuries just to avoid spoiling the end of a show. Thanks a lot FX! You'll be hearing from my attorney!
No more live TV for me. I'm going back to the DVR and I'll even get to skip all of the commercials, woohoo! What was I even thinking by watching live TV?
Dell Says Dell W5001C HDTV Better Than Panasonic's TH50PX500U HDTV (What Did you Expect Them to Say?)
You know, I normally don't trust a study commissioned by a company that says their product is better than everybody elses. According to Dell's press release:
ROUND ROCK, Texas--(BUSINESS WIRE)--March 21, 2006--When considering picture quality and price(a), consumers chose Dell's (NASDAQ:DELL) W5001C plasma HDTV over Panasonic's TH50PX500U model in a four-city, head-to-head viewing competition.
The consumer preference study of 50-inch plasma HDTVs was conducted from November 2005 through February 2006 in Baltimore, Chicago, New York and San Francisco. Following viewings of each TV, 308 consumers were asked their preference if the Panasonic and Dell TVs were priced $500 and $100 apart. The Dell won at only a $100 discount to the Panasonic.
Guideline Research, on behalf of Dell, conducted the Dell HDTV Challenge at shopping malls in the four cities. It pitted the competing plasmas against each other in viewings of indoor and outdoor, bright and dimly lit, and high and lower contrast scenes from a high-definition movie.
While I don't necessarily trust Dell, I think the results are pretty legit and mirror what we've been saying. The Dell and the Panasonic models are two of the best HDTVs out there and are a steal for the price.
The funny thing is that this survey took place over 3 months in 4 of the biggest cities in the US and they only surveyed 308 people? Maybe it's time for Dell to hire a new research company? I'm sure Dell could hire a research company to research the best research company. Ouch! I have a headache now.
Tonight's the season finale of the best show you've never watched (bet you never watched "The Adventures of Brisco County Jr" either - still not on DVD by the way!). We're talking about "The Shield" of course. If you thought NYPD Blue was intense, you can't imagine how intense "The Commish" with a shaved head can be. In fact, my wife won't watch the shield because she doesn't want to see "The Commish" killing people and stealing money. Yep, Michael Chiklis is a bad cop, or is he?
So even if you've never seen "The Shield" before, go ahead and watch the 90 minute finale tonight. It'll definitely be a roller coaster!
If you need to catch up, Wikipedia has a great overview of "The Shield":
The Shield is about an experimental police precinct set up in the fictional Farmington neighborhood ("the Farm") of Los Angeles, using a converted church ("the Barn") as their police station. Although Michael Chiklis has top billing with his portrayal of Detective Vic Mackey, the show has an ensemble cast that will normally run a number of separate story lines through each episode.
Detective Mackey is the leader of the Strike Team, a four-man anti-gang unit based on the LAPD's real-life Rampart Division CRASH unit. The Strike Team uses a variety of violent and extortive methods to maintain peace on the streets, while maintaining their own profits through drug protection schemes and robbery. Much like its inspiration, the Strike Team isn't above planting drugs on and coercing confessions out of gang members. Attempts to give the team a fifth member have frequently led to near-catastrophe for the group.
No real exciting releases this week unless you're a "Gidget" or "South Park fan". Since I started watching "Over There" half way through it's opening season, I'll probably go a head and get the DVD. It's a tough show to watch but any good war show or movie usually is.
Gidget - The Complete Series
South Park - The Complete Seventh Season
Over There - Season 1
Justice League - Season One (DC Comics Classic Collection)
March Madness has to be my favorite sports time of the year. The funny thing is, while I'll watch any sports on TV that I can, I don't seem to watch a lot of basketball. That is until the NCAA tournament. A whole month of Cinderella stories and busted brackets, what more could you ask for?
So if you haven't been watching the most exciting sports event in March, be sure to catch the Sweet Sixteen on CBS starting March 23rd.
Looking for a "clutter-less" HDTV? You might want to look at the Toshiba 32HLX95 LCD HDTV. According to
HomeTheaterMag.com:
Toshiba has a simple solution. Just remove the need for external sources by putting everything inside the TV. The new 32HLX95 features a built-in DVD player, a CableCARD slot, and ATSC and NTSC tuners that use the TV Guide On Screen program guide. Add in the pair of speakers mounted along the bottom panel to give the TV an even smaller footprint (or wallprint, as the case may be), and there's no need to connect any extra boxes if you don't want to.
Overall, they were pleased with the 32HLX95:
You'll need to save up a few more pennies to buy the 32HLX95, as its $2,500 MSRP puts it at the higher end of the LCD HDTV category. However, if you put a premium on the aesthetic benefits of a flat panel, this TV lives up to that promise better than most. Toshiba has freed us from the need for clunky source components. Now, if only they could figure out how to remove all those cables from the equation.
I guess for the price, I'd like to see a DVR instead of a DVD player, but maybe on the next model. Still, this is a pretty snazzy HDTV if you're looking for an "all-in-one".
Philips Electronics to Fix 12,000 42-inch and 50-inch Flat-Screens Due to Overheating
It's kind of cool when a TV doubles as a bank like we spoke about this morning. It' not cool when a TV doubles as a grill. According to MSNBC:
Dutch company Philips Electronics will make house calls to repair almost 12,000 flat panel plasma TV sets in the United States because they are liable to overheating, it said on Friday.
Several incidents of overheating have been reported in the United States but Philips said materials used in the television sets were all flame retardant and there was no risk that they would catch fire.
this appears to only be an issue in the US:
The problem occurred in 42-inch and 50-inch sets. It is restricted to the United States, because the faulty capacitors involved are used only in the assembly lines for the U.S. market.
So if you own one of these TVs, keep an eye out for the repair guy. Kudos to Philips for doing the in-home repair.
And we thought TVs were just for watching. Well, if you live in China, you'll soon be able to bank from your digital TV according to Xinhuanet.com:
The southern city of Shenzhen plans to launch the first TV bank in China enabling users to make transactions on TV, said sources with Shenzhen Media Group.
The bank is expected to be operational by the end of June in the city of South China's Guangdong Province.
With the bank, a user can make payments and shop by pressing buttons on the remote control.
Just think, someday we won't ever have to leave the house (oh yeah, guess we need to earn the money to make transactions with on our TVs). I'm pretty sure we'll see this in the US no time soon.
What a week! Everyone here at Blogpire Productions is anxiously awaiting all the craziness of St. Patrick's Day across the land along with a slew of new info from Cebit. Also check out the latest from The Cooking News for St. Patrick's Day recipes.
Nielsen Media Research Top 10- Broadcast Primetime- Week of Mar 06 - Mar 12, 2006
So, I wonder how long until FOX ditches the rest of their prime-time programming and goes staight "American Idol" every night?
Have you watched "The Unit" yet? It's a show about a secret commando unit headed by Dennis Haysbert (the ex-President on "24" and Allstate pitchman). While the stories seem a bit "stretched", Haysbert was a good casting decision and makes the show decent. You can check "The Unit" out on Tuesday nights. Also, I think if you watch the show, Allstate will give you an additional 25% off of your premiums.
BROADCAST PRIMETIME- Week of Mar. 06 - Mar. 12, 2006
*Rank is based on U.S. Household Rating % from Nielsen Media Research's National People Meter Sample
**A household Rating is the estimate of the size of a television audience relative to the total universe, expressed as a percentage.
As of September 20, 2004, there are an estimated 109.6 million television households in the U.S. A single national household ratings point represents 1%, or
1,102,000 households.
***Total viewers includes all persons over the age of two.
Used with permission:
Nielsen Media Research, Inc. The Information contained herein is the copyrighted property of Nielsen Media Research, Inc. Unauthorized use of this copyrighted material is expressly prohibited. All Rights Reserved.
Toshiba Announces the et20 Projector with Integrated DVD Player
Somehow we missed the et20 projector from Toshiba that was announced at CEBIT last week. According to the press release:
HANNOVER, Germany--(BUSINESS WIRE)--March 9, 2006--Toshiba has announced the et20 projector with integrated DVD player, 5.1-channel audio system, and an exclusive Super Close Projection lens that will produce a 2-meter (diagonal) image from 1-meter and a 1.5-meter image from only 70 centimeters away. The projector will also feature the Realta HQV(R) video processor for delivering what's acknowledged as the industry's best image quality. The projector will have a retail price of EUR 1599 ($1900 US) and will be available in April 2006.
Sounds like a pretty awesome projector but geez it's ugly. I guess it's all about functionality over looks (that's what they say about me anyway).
Here's a great new feature for TiVo owners with small children. Instead of searching for educational shows, TiVo will compile them for you. According to ABC News:
Congress and the Federal Communications Commission have for years required broadcasters to feature at least three hours per week of educational and informational programming for children. The shows are tagged as "E/I."
With an upcoming feature, parents who have standalone Series2 machines and subscribe to its service will be able to access a menu of such nationally broadcast shows, no matter what channel _ or hour _ they run.
TiVo will find shows tagged "E/I," adding them to a new restricted KidZone section where parents will be able to select the programming they wish to regularly record and playback for their children.
TiVo's KidZone parental-control feature, which will also include a list of shows recommended by three parent advocacy groups, will be launched at no extra charge midyear.
Nice! It 's also nice to see the word "free" attached to the service. We'll let you know when the service actually goes live in a few months.
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Have I ever mentioned my love for my DVR? Oh yeah, I think I did Once! Anyway, it looks like the push to do away with the conventional DVR has started. According to RedHerring.com:
Continue reading: 
If you want a dual-tuner TiVo and you just can't wait for the series 3 TiVo we 
So the 2006 NCAA College Basketball Tournament resumes tonight. We're down to the sixteen best teams, so get ready for some great college basketball.
