One of the most anticipated TV product releases of 2007 was the Sony XEL-1 OLED TV, of which 2000 units recently hit shelves in Japan. While most of us obviously won't be seeing one of these for a long while, we've found some great photos that show the XEL-1 from box to operational. Check them out.
Venturer SHD7000: $199 HD DVD Player Found Only At Wal-mart
You'll have another relatively low-cost HD DVD player option this Christmas. Venturer has released the SHD7000 HD DVD player, costing $199, and to be carried exclusively by Wal-mart. The player hit the shelves yesterday, so we're waiting anxiously for word regarding the player's performance. While some would argue that the $199 Toshiba HD-A2 would be the better buy due to its higher-quality brand name, the SHD7000 has many of the same features as both the HD-A2 and Toshiba's HD-A3 models. It outputs to 1080i through an HDMI input, hooks up via ethernet for internet-based updates and special movie features, and supports high-quality sound technologies Dolby TrueHD and DTS HD in 5.1-channel surround. Those living in the UK will be able to get their mitts on one after December 29 through the QVC shopping channel.
Office Depot is running an online contest from now until December 23 with a tech gift giveaway everyday. Just head over to Gift-of-the-Day Giveaway site, enter your email and birthdate and play the game. Some important giveaways for TVSnob's include an Olevia 37-inch LCD December 3, a Sharp 37-inch LCD December 11, an Olevia 42-inch LCD December 15, and another Sharp 37-inch LCD December 21. Office Depot definitely seems to favor LCD over plasma. You can even set up email reminders to make sure you play the day's your favorite prizes are awarded.
WinDVD: First Blu-ray Playback Software to Achieve Blu-ray Profile 1.1
Corel Corporation, known for its graphics, productivity, and digital media software, has announced that its WinDVD Blu-ray playback software is the first software package to receive BD-Video Profile 1.1 certification.
When the newly certified WinDVD software becomes available in early 2008, the picture-in-picture functionality required for the certification will enable users to watch a high-definition movie on their computer screen while at the same time watching a separate high-def window in the top corner of the screen featuring the director's commentary.
Definitely not mind-blowing, but handy nonetheless.
Nighthawks will probably remember this annoying test pattern from some years back, a familiar site for those that did their channel surfing during the wee hours of the night. This colorful test pattern, used during the night hours when channels were off the air or when experiencing technical difficulties, has been immortalized in a series of handmade television necklaces. Apparently a lot of people miss the colorful screen, because the $12 necklace is currently sold out!
PS3 Finally Outsells Wii In Japan; Blu-ray Camp Most Likely Celebrating
As I watch nearly every mom and dad I know running around looking fruitlessly for a Nintendo Wii to give their kids for Christmas, I found it interesting that the Playstation 3 outsold the Wii in Japan this past month. This is the first time the PS3 has outsold the Wii in Japan since the consoles were released last year. For the month ending November 25, the PS3 sold 183217 units while the Wii sold 159193. Why all of a sudden the PS3 seems to be overcoming its slow start isn't certain, but could be due to the mid-range 40 GB model released recently with its $100 price cut. We do know that the Blu-ray camp is probably celebrating right now.
Gadget blog Shiny Shiny has put together a resourceful guide to putting together the best high-def home theater system via their sister site HDTV UK. It explains everything from the different types of HDTV's, decoding all the spec numbers for screen resolution, brightness, and contrast ratio, as well as video connections and sound specs. Definitely something you should check out whether you're new to the HDTV buying scene or a self-declared expert.
CNET has compiled a huge chart of the power consumption of HDTV's covering the gamut of LCD's, plasmas, and RPTV's. It even tells you how much you pay annually for that power consumption. One thing of interest I noticed was that while almost all of the plasma TV's scored "poor" for power consumption, the only good plasma rating went to the Vizio 42-inch P42HDTV.
Start Your Own Television Station With NetTelecaster
Want to start your own cable network? Not crazy about dealing with the FCC? A company called NetTVWorld is working on a technology that will allow you to broadcast your own television channel over the internet. Using a NetTelecaster box, which will set you back about $5000, is only equipped to broadcast 10 streams at once, but is designed to utilized P2P networks to increase that number to around 20000. One major problem is the NetTelecaster can only stream one show at a time. But just imagine a television channel devoted to nothing but TV's. The ultimate TVSnob's dream!
Keep Your Beverage Cold While Watching Web Video With USB Beverage Chiller
I for one am still not a huge fan of sitting in my office chair to watch a full-length movie on my PC. However, I may enjoy it more if I have a few ice cold brewskis to numb the back pain. If this sounds like you, you might get some use out of the CoolIT Systems USB Beverage Chiller. Just plug this little miracle into your PC's USB port and within seconds it cools to 45 degress Fahrenheit, the perfect drink temperature. You can get your hands on one for $24.99 at CoolIT Systems.
Mobile Series, "The Misadventures Of Bob Paparazzo" Launched By VH1
VH1 is launching their third television series make exclusively for mobile devices. The Misadventures of Bob Paparazzo follows the goings-on of overweight and deviant photographer Bob as he chronically fails at capturing images of b-list celeb. The animated series, which features actually headshots on animated bodies is planned to air each Monday with a new episode.
Take Back My TV: Collectively Forcing TV Manufacturers To Recycle Our Old TV's
A movement by the Electronics Takeback Coalition called Take Back My TV is encouraging TV manufacturers to take back and recycle old models rather than let them sit in the garbage dump and pollute the earth. With 30 million digital TV's expected to be purchased in the United States by the end of the year, and the earth making it clear she doesn't appreciate the mess we're making here, this is very important. Take a look at the video above. Hopefully it'll stoke your conscience a bit.
For those who don't believe a movement like this would ever be taken seriously be the big manufacturers, you'll also be interested to know that Sony USA has already signed the Take Back pledge with the ultimate goal of recycling one pound of material for every pound sold.
The various Zune players from Microsoft were hot sellers this past Black Friday, but those that purchased the Zune 80 will be disappointed to learn the results of battery life tests conducted by CNET. Microsoft rates the Zune for 30 hours of audio playback with the Wi-Fi turned off, but CNET found in lab tests the players is only capable of about 22 hours. With the Wi-Fi feature turned on, battery life is further reduced to 18.5 hours. It would be interesting to see the results of battery life tests for solely video playback. What do you think, 5 hours?? While this is disappointing, it'll really tick off those that bought the Zune 80 to know that the iPod Classic 80 GB player plays back a remarkable 45 hours of audio on a single battery lifetime!
Steals And Deals: Save $70 On Halo 3 Legendary Edition
Head over to Amazon.com and take advantage of the amazing price offer of $70 off the Halo 3 Legendary Edition for the XBox 360. Regularly priced at $129.99, Halo 3 is now available for only $59.99. And that also includes free shipping. This is only for the remainder of today though, so head over there now!
Steals And Deals: Save $400 On The Purchase Of The Samsung HPT4264 42-Inch Plasma
Save $400 on the purchase of the 720p Samsung HPT4264 42" Plasma HDTV, a full 27% off the regular price of $1500. That means you pay only $1099.98 and shipping to your doorstep is free. The HPT4264 features an amazing 15000:1 contrast ratio and 18-bit video processor for a world-class picture with remarkable clarity and deep blacks. Samsung Digital Natural Image engine (DNIe) Video Enhancer refines video inputs from built-in ATSC and NTSC tuners producing a huge 549 billion colors. Lending itself to the ultimate home theater setup, the HPT4264 features plenty of inputs including 3 HDMI, 3 S-video, 2 component video, and 1 composite video. It even features both PC and USB connection for your HTPC needs. Definitely a nice dollar savings on one of the most popular plasma HDTV's of 2007.
Blu-ray/HD DVD Format War: Blu-ray Claims Japanese Territory
In the Japanese incarnation of the HD DVD/Blu-ray format war, it seems Blu-ray has taken control. High definition recorders account for about 20% of retail video recorder sails in Japan, and HD DVD video recorders tend to only account for about one-fifth of that 20%.
Take a look at the chart above and you can see this means that Blu-ray is outselling HD DVD almost 5 to 1. Before everyone gets all heated up though, these numbers can be deceptive. Remember that Blu-ray has been around much longer than HD DVD in Japan (HD DVD only began selling in Japan around November of 2006) and is nearing maturity in its product life cycle. Take a look at Japan-based manufacturers and you'll find much more support for Blu-ray than HD DVD as well. In the end, there is nothing worthy of ammunition for either camp with this release, but may the battle continue anyways.
Free Star Trek Phaser Remote With Toshiba HD DVD Player, Star Trek Boxed Set Purchase
Toshiba, in collaboration with CBS Home Entertainment is offering a free Star Trek "Phaser" remote control with the combination purchase of Star Trek: The Original Series First Season HD DVD/DVD Boxed Set and any Toshiba HD DVD player. The offers good on purchases made before the end of February 2008. The "Phaser" remote control is a 3-in-1 universal remote with Toshiba HD DVD playback ability and has an approximate retail value of about $70. Plus it just looks cool, which is the most important part!
Colorblind, But Love TV? Check Out The Eizo FlexScan SX2461W-U
If you're into HTPC and you're colorblind, we may have just the solution for you. Eizo has announced the FlexScan SX2461W-U 24-inch LCD monitor display that helps colorblind users distinguish colors. The monitor uses something called Color Universal Design technology that helps users distinguish between problems colors such as red, green, and yellow using different color schemes and shapes. With a contrast ratio of 850:1 and a brightness of 300 CD/m2, it may not offer the viewing pleasure of your big-screen LCD HDTV, but if you're colorblind it's one of the best solutions around. The display also features a couple of HDCP DVI ports so you can use the one monitor for two computers. The SX2461W-U is expected to be available in December for $1275, typical for a regular 24-inch LCD monitor.
I always get a kick out of the fact that every once in a while, a new article starts floating around the blogosphere outlining the reasoning behind the ongoing failure of the Apple TV. Personally I've always believed that it's just ahead of its time. Not so much the technology itself, but Apple's continuing need to keep it proprietary. I mean, why would someone buy an Apple TV just to watch free YouTube garbage and the odd video you have to pay for from iTunes. There's just not enough good content available when your pickings are that slim at this point in time. Maybe a few years down the road, things will be different. Not now though.
The latest "why the Apple TV sucks" article is courtesy of Jason Mick at Daily Tech. The reason he penned the article is because not surprisingly sales of the Apple TV have been less than stellar so far this holiday season. Once again though, he outlines why.
1. It's just "a hobby" for Steve Jobs.
2. Small market segment and consumer ignorance as most users don't have enough computer content.
3. Those that do don't even know the Apple TV exists or if they do, don't know how it works.
4. Apple's insistence on keeping the device proprietary eliminates the majority of the good video content on the web.
5. Apple has refused to create a rental or subscription service to use with the TV, apparently because the consumer does not want them. (Smartass comment inserted by TVSnob editor: this is precisely why Netflix is such a success and the Apple TV sucks)
Mobile TV Taking Over: 2008 Video-Enable Mobile Phone Shipments To Trump Sales Of Digital TV's
Here's an interesting factoid for you that will make you think about the future of television. Despite the fact that digital televisions are advancing at a remarkable rate in terms of their picture quality, connectivity, and design sense even as prices are decreasing, video-enable mobile phones will outsell digital TV's by for next year. That's according to Multimedia Intelligence, a company that has estimated that 300 million video-enabled phones will ship in 2008 resulting in a whopping $76 billion in sales! It's gotta make you wonder: will the traditional home theater fade as the convenience of mobile television increases?
We're not particularly interested in checking this out, being ANOTHER online TV service and all, but you might so we'll give you the details.
Currently in private beta (meaning you may have to wait to check it out anyways), SyncTV, an offshoot company of Pioneer Electronics, offers a la carte television channels for online subscription viewing. The company has reported that the monthly channel subscription rates run from $2-4 and feature "home-theater quality" videos integrating surround sound capabilities and picture quality at least comparable to that of DVD's and in some cases high-def.
Shows are also available for download at $2 per episode and run on both Macs and PCs. What channels are offered is not known at the moment, but the only mainstream channel of note is Showtime.
It can apparently play on five separate devices within the home, and 10 portable devices, not including the iPod, and third-party devices for the SyncTV service should appear in the first half of 2008.
For The Fairer TVSnob's: Fuchsia Pink Sony "S" Series 20-Inch HD Ready TV
This one's for the fairer of the TVSnob's lurking out there. The Sony S Series 20-inch HD Ready television in fuchsia pink! The pink Sony features a 20-inch widescreen, HD Ready, 1366x768 pixel resolution display utilizing Sony's famed Bravia engine for a rich, colorful picture. It also has a built-in digital tuner, a 4000:1 contrast ratio, and Virtual Dolby Surround/BBE VIVA enhancer sound technology for a clear, interference free sound experience. One downside is the single HDMI input which definitely diminishes the Sony's integration with home theater components, but with the small screen size, this display would be better suited for the bedroom or possible wall display in a recreation room secondary to your living room home theater. Find this model at the Sony Style UK website for 445 pounds.
Black Friday is done and over with and now comes time for analysis and reflection. Of course this would have been better done this morning but computer problems dictated otherwise for me. Better late than never though, right?
Black Friday: Save Up To 20% Off HDTV's At CircuitCity.com
Have you been to CircuitCity.com on your Black Friday HDTV hunt yet? If not, that's okay, because their Black Friday deals will continue into tomorrow. You'll save up to 20% off select HDTV's for the remainder of today and tomorrow. Select models include:
Olevia 247TFHD 47-inch LCD HDTV-$1099.99 after $500 in savings
Mitsubishi WD-Y577 57-inch DLP-$1199.99 after $700 in savings
LG 47LC7DF 47-inch LCD-$1499.99 after $500 in savings
Samsung LN-T4053H 40-inch LCD-$1199.99 after $400 in savings
Mitsubishi WD-73734 73-inch DLP Rear Projection-$2699.99 after $900 in savings
Magnavox 52MF437S/37 52-inch LCD-$1999.99 after $700 in savings
Olevia 232T 32-inch LCD-$479.99 after $20 in savings
All order over $24 include free shipping, so you will be good to go with your HDTV purchase plus you'll pay no interest for 18 months on all models except the Olevia 232T.
There is no time to site around and surf the web looking for Black Friday deals today. Do that and the best deals will be gone before you ever have time to take advantage of them. We've tried to make things quick and simple for you here by providing a guide of all our Black Friday-related postings from the past month or so you have more time to use the deals rather than look for them. Just click on the links to find what you're looking for. They're listed in order from newest to oldest.
Black Friday: Apple Store Online Deals Now Available
The Apple Store's Black Friday online deals are now available at the Apple website. Honestly there isn't too much to talk about here. The savings aren't particularly impressive, but they are savings nonetheless.
Until mid-December, if you sign up for Verizon's fiOS television service, you'll receive a free 19 inch Sharp Aquos LCD HDTV. Or if the smaller size doesn't catch your fancy, you can opt for a $200 gift certificate from Best Buy. The one major drawback to this deal is that it is only available currently in Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, Maryland, Virginia, and parts of Indiana. The rest of the US is SOL.
Black Friday: Head To Apple.com For Special Black Friday Sale
Calling all Apple fans! If you haven't already heard, Apple will be featuring a special one day Black Friday sale online and in their retail stores. Though being Apple, the company calls it a "special one-day shopping event". So typical of the company to go against the grain. The sale starts online November 23 at 12:01 AM PST and is set to run until 11:59 PM PST, or until supplies last. What deals are available is a secret and there will be no mention until the sale starts, but we do know there will be free shipping on all purchases.
Steals And Deals: Save $500 On The Sony Bravia XBR KDL46XBR4 46 Inch 1080p LCD TV
Save $500 on the Sony Bravia XBR KDL-46XBR4 46" 1080p LCD HDTV right now at Amazon.com and have it shipped to your door for free! The Bravia, one of the hottest models of the year, features a 10-bit color processor, 16:9 aspect ratio, and a full HD 1080p LCD display. A world-class 102 Hz frame rate combine with the 10-bit display and processing recreates a smooth, vividly colored picture that you'll have trouble distinguishing from real life. The Bravia also supports the x.v.Color standard and features the newest HDMI 1.3 interface so it can be integrated with any home theater component out there. The Bravia Engine Pro Full Digital Video Processor upconverts all signals to 1080p so you can even watch your old DVD's in high def. The too-good-to-be-true picture aside, the Bravia is one of the best looking HDTV's on the market with a glass frame and thin black bezel that can be interchanged with other colors to match your home's decor. Definitely one of the best Christmas presents you could buy a friend or loved one!
Here's a quick Black Friday update for you. I've had to keep it brief because computer problems last night prevented me from doing this in a timely fashion. Anyways, here you go.
Almost all items featured in the Black Friday in-store sales at Best Buy, CompUSA, and OfficeMax are online now and will sell-out fast.
The Wal-mart Thanksgiving Specials featuring the Magnavox 47 inch 1080p LCD TV for $1298 and the Philips 42 inch 1080p LCD TV for $1196 are also online now.
Circuit City has a number of items available online now including the Olevia 47 inch 247TFHD LCD TV for $1099.
Buy.com has a huge amount of movies available for around $4.75 and a few electronics deals. Beware of the Slingbox Pro and HD Connect Bundle package for $230. Head over to Amazon.com and you'll find it for cheaper!
J&R has a boatload of DVD's available starting at $3.99.
Newegg.com is featuring a Hyundai 46 inch 1080p LCD TV for $999.99.
Office Depot has an unspecified 26 inch LCD TV for $399.99.
Overstock.com has an assortment of electronics for sale online now.
Head over to the Consumer Reports blog to see their version of the best Black Friday HDTV deals. A helpful feature in their summary is they only list brands that have had one or more recommended models in the magazine's ratings over the past year. Interestingly the best plasma HDTV deals are all made by Panasonic, while the LCD recommendations are manufactured by Olevia, Vizio, Sony, and Sharp. The lone rear-projection HDTV recommendation comes from Mitsubishi. Definitely take a look at this because remember: the best deals aren't necessarily the cheapest ones.
Amazon.com Featuring Thursday (Tomorrow!) Black Friday Deals
Click Above To Go To Amazon's Black Friday Page
Following a popular trend in the lead-up to this year's Black Friday, Amazon.com will be featuring some pre-Black Friday sales tommorow to kick things into gear. All of the sales involve computer peripheral products, so home theater PCers should take a look at the list below. All prices include whatever mail-in rebate may be offered and everything includes free shipping except for the LCD monitor specified. Remember: these sales are on tomorrow at Amazon.com!
Hauppauge HVR-950 HD TV Stick: $39.99
Hauppauge HD TV Stick Mac: $82.99
Kensington Ci70 Wireless Desktop $30.99
Kensington SlimBlade Media Mouse $29.99
Kensington SlimBlade Notebook Set $57.99
Microsoft Ergo 40000 Keyboard $34.99
Microsoft Wireless Optical Mouse 4.0 Mass Steel Blue $14.99
Microsoft Wireless Notebook Laser Mouse 6000- Vista SE Black $22.99
Microsoft Mobility Pack 4PL-00001 (LifeCam NX-6000 and Wireless Notebook Laser Mouse 6000) $69.99
Klipsch Promedia Ultra 2.0 PC Speaker System- Silver $59.99
Starlogic 24" Widescreen LCD Monitor $299.99 (no free shipping)
Media Keyboard Elite $8.49
Cordless Desktop LX300 $19.99
MX5000 Keyboard / Mouse Combo $63.99
Steals And Deals: Save $500 On The Hitachi P42H401 42 Inch 1080p Plasma
Save $500 on the Hitachi P42H401 42 inch plasma at Amazon.com. Regularly priced at $1500, right now you'll pay only $999.98. The Hitachi plasma feature full 1080p resolution, a 16-bit color processor, built-in ATSC and NTSC tuners and QAM compatibility. Custom setting match the picture settings with accompanying ambient lighting conditions so you get an optimal picture and contrast quality no matter the lighting conditions. Normally 16:9 widescreen, the Hitachi has automatic 3:2 film enhancement for theater-like movie viewing. The well-connected set includes 3 HDMI inputs allowing you to connect all your home theater equipment. So, if you're looking for a flexible set offering
See The Sony XEL-1 OLED TV Unpacked And In Action
Continue reading: 
We've posted the initial segment of our long-awaited 2007 Holiday Buyer's Guide detailing the best plasma's and LCD's of 2007. We worked hard to find the best models that combined both value for you money and the best performance found on the HDTV market. This year we've also covered projectors, HD DVD and Blu-ray players, and media streamers. This evening stay tuned for the next segment of our Christmas guide with the best remote controls and gadgets for purchase this holiday season. Just follow the links below to find what you're looking for: