(Credit: Engadget)For years it's been possible to pull in standard and high definition programming onto your computer using a Slingbox or a TV tuner such as ATI's All-in-Wonder PCI cards. But these solutions have their limitations (for example, a Slingbox cannot display a high-definition picture) and let'...
CNET reviews LG's entry-level 50-inch 1080p plasma, the 50PG30.
(Credit: CNET)When we first checked out LG's entry-level 50-inch plasma with 1080p resolution, model 50PG30, we thought it looked pretty good, especially for less than $2,000. The classy gloss-black styling and long list of features, including plenty of picture controls, boded well for this model's chances on paper. We'd also had positive experiences with two other 50-inch LG plasmas we reviewed earlier, the THX-certified 50PG60 and the entry-level 50PG20, a 720p display that's enough of a bargain to occupy second place on our Best budget HDTVs list.
In person, however, the 50PG30 was a bit less impressive. Our main gripe has to do with color accuracy; despite a plethora of adjustments, including a full color management system that allows tweaking of primary and secondary colors, we couldn't get color to look quite right. Just-average black levels didn't help, and while video processing was solid, it couldn't make up the gap between the LG and other entry-level 1080p plasmas.
For the complete scoop check out our full review of the LG 50PG30....
Should firmware and software updates be available to HDTVs via an Internet connection?
(Credit: CNET Networks)Anybody who has a Sony PlayStation 3 knows all about software and firmware updates. Every month or two, Sony sends out an update notification telling users that it's time to head over to the update section of the menu and wait 10 minutes to an hour to download and install the latest features, bug fixes, and what-have-you.
Personal computers have been doing the same thing for years, via Windows Update for example, and now that the PS3, Xbox 360, and Nintendo Wii are Internet-enabled, it seems that game consoles are also firmly aboard the update bandwagon.
The same goes for TiVo, cable boxes, and satellite receivers, the latter of which are updated so frequently that as reviewers, we find it impossible to keep up--despite two major updates of the Dish Network DVR review and three of the DirecTV DVR review, firmware and software updates have made those reviews increasingly out of date. I think HDTVs that connect to the Internet should also allow firmware updates.
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LED backlights can dim or turn off individually as needed.
(Credit: CNET)Now that we've published our review of the LED-backlit Samsung LN46A950, we're already receiving e-mails from readers, apparently with money to burn, who're anxious to find out whether it's better than the Sony XBR8 series, another LED-backlit contender that will hit shore shelves in October.
Sony and Samsung will also be joined by LG in the backlit-LCD race, despite apparent lack of reader interest in that company's LG 47LG90. Since we haven't reviewed either of those two models yet we don't know how they compare with one another or with the Samsung, but that won't stop us from "spec"ulating with the only information we do have: spec sheets, rumors, and brief eye-time.
First off, it's worth noting that each of the three sets use a technology colloquially called "local dimming," where the individual LEDs behind the screen can be dimmed or turned off as needed. It's this technology that adds some weight to each company's claim of a 1,000,000:1 contrast ratio (a nice round number, no?) When part of the screen goes dark and another is bright, standard fluorescent LCD backlights must rely on the LCD panel itself to block out the light and create dark areas. The result is the less-than-stellar black-level performance for which many LCDs have been noted.
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Sony's new support Amazone
(Credit: Sony)Sony announced on Thursday that Amazon Video On Demand, a service that offers immediate access to premium, commercial-free entertainment contents, and hi-def content from Dailymotion are now available through the Sony Bravia Internet Video Link. This will make tens of thousands of ...
