According to a new survey by ABI Research, twenty percent of TV viewers--3 million Americans--who rely on analog over-the-air reception will let their sets go "dark" after the DTV transition on February 17, 2009.

The firm's web-based survey of 1002 US consumers found that 70% will purchase a DTV converter box, 10% will switch to cable, and 20% will do nothing, causing their old analog TVs, which are incapable of receiving the new broadcasts without additional equipment, to go dark or display only snow. Currently, fifteen percent of Americans get their TV from over-the-air broadcasts, while the remainder subscribe to cable or satellite services.

The survey also found that non-traditional TV content delivery methods, such as DVD rentals and video options available via broadband internet, might help fill the gap for customers deciding to ditch broadcast TV.

"Our survey data suggest that the net result of consumers' choices after analog switch-off will be a drop in overall terrestrial viewing," said ABI analyst Scott Wilson. "Terrestrial viewers tend to be more likely to use alternative video entertainment forms such as DVD rentals and broadband video and the transition may push them further in that direction."

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If you're itching to hang an LCD or plasma HDTV above your fireplace but unwilling to shell out the cash for a full-motion mount, fear not, Memorex will save you from improper viewing angles. For $350 (or about half the ...

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Man, it sure would be nice if we could do this comparison here at CNET.

The first third-party side-by-side comparison we've seen between Mitsubishi's LaserVue rear-projection TV and Pioneer's Elite Kuro plasma appeared at TheTechlounge Friday, and according to its authors, the LaserVue more than held its own against what's widely regarded as the best TV on the market.

Author Cameron Baker and editor Kurtis Kronk sat down before a 60-inch Kuro and a 65-inch LaserVue at a San Antonio, Texas, HDTV retailer and watched a pair of Blu-ray movies: Ice Age: The Meltdown and Iron Man, along with Pioneer's Kuro test disc. They were unable to get their hands on a distribution amplifier for true side-by-side comparisons, apparently, so they based their observations on watching "the scenes back-to-back on each display a few times, juggling HDMI connections," and on still photos.

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Samsung has updated the A950 series, the company's flagship line of LED-based LCD HDTVs, by introducing changes that affect picture quality. In accordance, we have updated our review of the 46-inch LN46A950.

While the change will have a minor impact on picture quality, it probably irks current A950 owners to find out that they don't have the most up-to-date version of the television. Here's the relevant section from the review's updated performance section, describing the differences we saw:

To assess the picture quality impact of the changes, we compared our original LN46A950 review sample side-by-side to a new one, and will use the new one in all comparisons involving the A950 going forward. The differences we saw concerned black levels primarily. The company has raised the black level in very dark scenes--those with a very low "average picture level." In those scenes the new model showed improved shadow detail and eliminated some of the worst blooming effects we mention below, while the older model reproduced darker overall black levels--its LEDs appeared to dim more aggressively, while the new ones stayed more illuminated. We didn't notice any differences between the two Samsungs in the vast majority of scenes however, which have higher average picture levels. As a result, we're not modifying the rating for this review.

According to Samsung, all A950 series sets sent to market after September 20, 2008, will feature the upgrade. Of course that means A950 series TVs sent to market before that date, whether still on store shelves or comfortably at home with their new owners, won't have the update....

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The Sony KDL-55XBR8 is officially the best LCD TV CNET has ever tested. It can't overcome the picture quality advantages of the best plasma, however, and it still costs a mint.

We described the battle for "best" between hyper-expensive LED-backlit LCD televisions previously, and in our review of the Sony we compared it directly with the Samsung LN46A950, its principal LCD competitor, as well as to the best HDTV we've ever tested, the Pioneer PRO-111FD plasma. The Sony outperformed the Samsung in most important areas, namely black-level performance, but it exhibited the same sort of off-angle issues and minor "blooming," where black areas become slightly brighter near very bright areas of the screen. Still, Sony's "Triluminos" LED technology seems give it the upper hand over the Samsung in these areas, and its picture is still downright stunning. In fact, in rooms with lots of ambient light the Sony will trounce even the Pioneer Kuro.

Read the full review of the Sony KDL-55XBR8.

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