BenQ released first 21.5” 1080p Full HD LCD display sporting a 1920×1080 native resolution. The 10,000:1 DCR and 300nit brightness render dark details in razor-sharp clarity along with a rich, vibrant display of 16.7M colors. Senseye+photo instantly optimizes viewing for all home and office applications, while gaming and video are enhanced by integrated speakers (2 x1W) , headphone jack, and a fast 5ms response time.

With 100% dot-for-dot matching to Full HD materials, BenQ’s new 16:9 large screen E2200HDA deliver immaculate rendering of 1080p content such as Blu-ray movies and PS3 and games without distortion, blur or need for resizing.

Sony XBR8

Sony in an afternoon announcement updated its high-end BRAVIA XBR line with three new set ranges that it hopes step up the quality of its TVs across the board.The XBR8 series starts with 46- and 55-inch sets that are Sony’s first to include LED backlights: the lighting not only provides a more even and color-accurate image but builds in local dimming that shuts off unneeded lights in darker areas, giving a major boost to the contrast ratio. The two sets also sport Sony’s updated BRAVIA Engine 2 PRO for rendering the image, 120Hz panels to improve the picture in fast movement, a hooks for the BRAVIA Internet Link adapter, and a media port for connecting iPods and other media players.

Sony XBR7

Each of the XBR8 models has four HDMI 1.3 connectors with deep color support, dual component jacks, a PC input, and Ethernet for pulling Internet data and updates. Sony has yet to supply a final price for these or the other sets in the lineup but expects a launch for the entire line in the fall.

Sony XBR6

At the base of the new updates, the XBR6 line has also been expanded beyond the sizes available in the initial January lineup to include 40-, 46-, and 52-inch models. These use Sony’s more familiar “floating glass” look and have a hidden chin-mounted speaker; all the new sets still use a more typical 60Hz panel but have Sony’s characteristic swappable front bezel that allows use of more exotic colors such as brown or red.

Hauppauge Digital Inc, a manufacturer of video, TV and data broadcast receiver products for PCs, is launching a USB TV dongle to support high definition TV broadcasts on Freesat.For £79, the Hauppauge WinTV Nova-S Freesat USB2 will enable anyone who already has a satellite dish, such as Sky subscribers, to view Freesat channels on a laptop or desktop computer.

The USB dongle plugs in to the satellite dish socket at one end and to a USB port on a laptop or PC at the other, and is ideal for providing a secondary tuner for viewing in areas such as a kitchen or bedroom.

The broadcasts can be viewed either in fullscreen, or in a smaller window to allow the PC to be used for other tasks at the same time.

The dongle comes with WinNova software, which together with suitable hardware will enable a PC to display HD content. The software also provides a scheduling feature making it possible to save programmes to the computer’s hard drive for later viewing.

The device is compatible with 32bit versions of both Windows XP and Windows Vista.

Freesat is a joint venture between the BBC and ITV which will provide 80+ free-to-air digital TV and radio channels. Broadcasts will be from the Astra 2D satellite, which is also used by Sky, so there should be no need for Sky subscribers to realign their satellite dish.

Hitachi unveiled 9 new Wooo HDTV’s yesterday across the pond in Japan. The Hitachi Wooo UT Series will be available in three sizes, 32-, 37-, and 42-inches, all with full 1080p resolution save for the smallest display which features 720p. Super-slim 35 mm thin bodies are a result of several of the televisions’ components and dual TV tuner being removed from the set itself and placed in an external box connected to the set by Ultra Wide Band. All three LCD’s have 250GB of internal HDD space, an iV an iV port for iVDR HDD cartridges, DLNA compatibility, x.v. Color, and Deep Color. The two smaller screens feature IPS Alpha panels while the 42-inch display boasts a 120Hz IPS panel.

Three more LCD’s will become members of the Wooo XV Series, available in identical sizes as the UT Series, and utilizing many of the same features. Once again, all displays are 1080p aside from the 32-inch display which features 720p resolution and all have an iV port. None of these sets have any internal drive space and aren’t quite as thin, integrating all the TV’s components within the sets.

The final three new releases are plasma displays, branded under the Wooo 02 Series moniker, and available in either 42- or 50-inch sizes. The 42-inch big screen features 1024×1080 pixel resolution, while the two 50-inch sets feature 1920×1080 pixels or 1280×1080 pixels. Like the Wooo UT series, the two larger 50-inch displays integrate a 250GB hard disk drive, while all three new Hitachi plasmas features an iV port.

44 million households worldwide will have a HD signal received and displayed on an HDTV by the end of 2008. That’s 4% of worldwide households, double that at the end of 2007, but only a quarter of the expected 180 million HD homes by 2012. All this thanks to dropping HDTV and set-top box prices according to the London-based research firm behind the new numbers, Informa Telecoms & Media. Not surprisingly, HD penetration has been the highest in North America, due to the growing availability of HD content and the poor quality of analog signals. The research also found the HD subscriptions rose dramatically once 20 HD channels are available in any given area.

Via marketwatch

Mitsubishi Digital Electronics America has announced the name and details of its LaserTV which will be known as LaserVue. This is the first product line of its kind, realizing the dream of the laser-powered TV which made its debut at CES earlier this year in Las Vegas. Mitsubishi claims that the LaserVue will deliver a range of color never before seen in home entertainment - pretty high claims, so it must be seen to be believed. Other details concerning this year’s DLP lineup and its range of ultra thin LCD HDTVs will include a thinner frame and brighter picture on the DLP models and while the proprietary Ultra Thin Frame on the LCD HDTVs will feature improved sound capabilities. LsaerVue models will be available sometime this Q3 at a yet undisclosed price.

Tzero Technologies today announced that consumer technology giant, Hitachi Ltd. has selected its ultra wideband (UWB) technology to enable wireless HD video for its highly-touted and much anticipated Ultra Thin (UT) HDTV series. Tzero’s advanced entertainment networking technology will eliminate cables and dramatically simplify the connections between the sleek new Hitachi displays and other home audio/video components. The new display series, which debuted at CES 2008, is now available at leading Japanese retail outlets.

“Hitachi UT HDTVs are bringing together some of the most advanced technology in the industry, designed to improve the viewing experience from every angle and with market-leading image quality,” said Masanori Yoshino, General Manager Products Strategy Digital AV Products Division at Hitachi. “After carefully evaluating a number of wireless video technologies, only Tzero’s UWB implementation could provide the video quality and performance that is required for our demanding UT customer base.”

With Tzero technology, Hitachi UT HDTVs will be able to receive high-definition video wirelessly from any HDMI(TM) equipped audio/video component. The wireless connection can deliver transmission speeds of up to 480 megabits per second (Mbps) to support even the most stringent demands of high-definition video and IPTV. Additionally, Tzero’s platform is based on standards from the WiMedia Alliance and is guaranteed to coexist and interact with other WiMedia-compliant devices.

Samsung’s HPT5054 is the choice of value conscious plasma HDTV enthusiasts. Whether you’re in a dark room or in broad daylight, the picture remains amazingly crisp and vibrant, thanks to Samsung’s FilterBright anti-reflection technology.

Even in moonlit scenes, the HPT5054’s 15,000:1 contrast ratio and 18-bit technology let you see every shadowy detail and natural, rich color. Advanced Samsung plasma picture technology delivers sharper screen text, while eliminating noise.

Samsung also introduces an innovative auto-pixelshift technology that makes picture burn-in a thing of the past. Experience robust, 3-dimensional TruSurround XT sound. Connect all your digital devices and peripherals courtesy of 3 HDMI ports and a full complement of audio and video inputs. Control all your CEC-compliant digital devices through the one HPT5054 remote. And it’s ENERGY STAR Compliant, so you’ll use less energy.more

he BBC test-screened the RBS Six Nations rugby match between Scotland and England, in what is believed to be the first-ever live test screening of an international sports event in 3D HDTV via satellite.The screening, at Riverside Studios in London, was enabled by a joint venture between BBC Sport and The3DFirm, a consortium comprising media communications firm Can Communicate, 3D specialist company Inition and hire and post production house Axis Films.

According to David Wooster of The3DFirm, 3D creates an experience which is almost as good as being at the actual event.

The technique, which is still under development, involves bouncing dual HD signals around and re-encoding them as a 3D experience.

Samsung Electronics announced the launch of its full HD LCD TV ‘PAVV Bordeaux 550(model: LN40/46A550P1F)’ that consists of 40- and 46-inch models.

Supporting 30,000:1 contrast ratio, the PAVV Bordeaux 550 adopts Samsung’s latest technologies including an advanced black panel, ‘Speed Backlight’, ‘DNIe+’, an upgraded Digital Natural Image engine, and ‘Wide Color ControlPro’.

Other features included 2.2 channel sound with two woofers and three entertainment modes; sports, movie and game.

It is expected to be available for around 2,400,000(KRW) and 4,000,000(KRW) respectively. According to the company, the PAVV Bordeaux 550 will be released in global market in 1Q 2008, and Samsung is also going to launch the 32-inch model in the end of February.