HDTV News

Sharp have announced two exciting new 4K Ultra HD TV models over in Japan. The 70-inch Sharp LC-70UD1 and 60-inch Sharp LC-60UD1 both feature a 4K panel with a 3,840 x 2,160 pixel resolution.

What makes these two new 4K UHD TVs even more interesting to us is that they make use of Sharp’s Moth eye panels, which vastly improves the viewing experience by reducing (almost entirely eliminating) any reflections from the screen, while maintaining the bright colours and contrast much better than a matte panel.

We filmed this Moth eye technology as CES 2013 where Sharp have a HDTV setup with the screen split into three parts, and you could clearly see the difference. It was very impressive, so be sure to watch the video below.

In the same video we believe we have also managed to film the newly announced Sharp LC-70UD1!

We currently see Sony as the leaders when it comes to 4K and Ultra HDTVs. They have done more to push 4K to the consumer than any other company, and are involved with 4K through every step, from recording, all the way to the final viewing of 4K content on their 4K Ultra HDTVs.

Apart from the intelligent tech savvy readers of this site, the average Joe on the street probably don’t know of 4K, or what on earth an Ultra HDTV is. Well, with Sony’s help that looks set to change.

Sony has just launched a 4K Ultra HDTV marketing campaign to promote the release of the 55-inch and 65-inch 4K ultra HD TVs, and with it are going to bring 4K the the publics attention.

VIZIO have announced that their 42-inch 5.1 Home Theater Sound Bar with Wireless Subwoofer and Satellite speakers, the VIZIO S4251W is now available, for $329.99.

Soundbars have really exploded with popularity over the last year or so, as people realize that they have a beautiful HDTV, but the sound just really isn’t that great.

Adding a soundbar is the easiest way to upgrade the sound of your home theater set up. But with the VIZIO S4251W, Vizio have taken a slightly different approach, because the VIZIO S4251W isn’t just a standard soundbar which normally consists of two or three speakers, it’s a full on 5.1 surround system.

AUO have announced at the SID Display week their 65-inch Full HD OLED panel technology.

This would make it the world’s largest Full HD OLED panel which would make an absolutely beautiful OLED TV!

Currently OLED TV’s are so expensive due to their low successful yield rates. Achieving a higher yield rate would vast reduce the prices. As I’m sure you’re aware, LG have got their 55-inch OLED TV to market (view our hands on video here), and have also announced that they will soon be shipping their curved OLED TVs very soon. But Samsung on the other hand have yet to ship any out to customers.

We have just discovered some big news coming direct from Samsung in Korea!

Samsung look set to release two new sizes in the 4K UHD TV market, with their 55-inch and 65-inch 4K TVs coming to Korea next month (June 2013).

The major manufactures have all had their large 4K TVs out for a while now. There’s Sony’s 84-inch 4K TV (view our Hands on in California), LG’s 84-inch (we covered it at CES 2013) and of course Samsung’s latest jewel, their $40,000 / £35,000 85-inch 4K Ultra HDTV (view our hands on in Selfridges in London!).

But when it comes to smaller more “normal” sized 4K Ultra HDTVs, or should I say, affordable 4K TVs we haven’t heard a great deal from Samsung until just now. LG showed off their smaller sized 4K TVs at CES 2013, but these have yet to get prices or dates. Sony on the other hand has been leading the way and have just recently started shipping their 55-inch and 65-inch 4K models for $4,999, and $6,999.

It’s great to see some movement from Samsung with their 55-inch and 65-inch models.

At an exclusive press event yesterday in central London, Bang & Olufsen unveiled the BeoLab 14 surround sound speaker system.

We were at the event and not only got to spend time with the beautiful looking and sounding system, but also got to spend time with the CEO Tue Mantoni, and designer Torsten Valeur who explained his inspiration behind the super stylish system.

We’ll be publishing our full article and hands on videos from the event over the next couple of days, so be sure to stay tuned for that!

In the meantime I’ll give a quick overview on the Bang & Olufsen BeoLab 14. Firstly the surround sound speaker system will work with any TV, Bang & Olufsen or not.

It’s available in two versions, one with the subwoofer and four satellite speakers for use with a Bang & Olufsen TV (Such as the BeoVision 11), and another version with the subwoofer and five satellite speakers if you’re using it with a non Bang & Olufsen TV.

YouTube has had a partner program running since 2007, and currently has over a million partner channels.

YouTube has now launched another level to their partner program with their paid subscription fee service. A small number of channels are now subscription fee only, but this number is expected to rise soon.

Subscription fees start at just $0.99 per month, but can go much higher, for example to UFC channel is $5.99 a month. All channels have a 14 days free trial period to you can try before you buy as such.

All the videos on these subscription fee channels will be free of ads. I clicked on a few of these paid channels and it looks like you can watch up to 2mins of a longer video.

We’re pleased to bring you an exclusive hands on demonstration of the beautiful and unique Samsung S9 85-Inch Ultra HD TV.

We first got an eyes on look at the very impressive Samsung S9 series at CES 2013 when it was unveiled and proudly shown off. Now a few months later the huge 85-inch 4K beauty is now available to purchase and is on display at a very few select location around the world.

One such location is the prestigious Selfridges store in London where they’re displaying and selling the stunning S9 for an eye watering £35,000.

Selfridges and Samsung were kind enough to give us a full hands on demonstration of the Samsung UN85S9AF / UN85S9000 where we get a real hands on experience which we’re proud we can share with you. We even dig through the settings and options of the Samsung S9 and reveal previously unknown features such as the One connect connection hub / box, pop out camera, height adjustment feature and much more.

Sony have been a major driving force for 4K / Ultra HD over the past year or so, and one of the ways they’re drawing attention to 4K is with their latest Mastered in 4K blu-ray titles.

So just what is a “Mastered in 4K” blu-ray movie? Well, first off and importantly, it’s no a 4K movie, it doesn’t have the 4K / Ultra HD resolution, it still has the standard 1080p Full HD resolution that you will and have found on standard blu-ray discs for years.

So if it’s not 4K resolution, what is it? Well from Sony directly, they are “Created from the highest quality 4K source materials with new expanded color”.

The extended color gamut provides more vivid colors. Current blu-ray discs use a narrower color gamut (range) than the human eye can see, but with the new 4K TVs, and some of Sony’s higherend TVs supporting Triluminos a higher more vivid gamut can be used for more vibrant colors.

Denon have just announced and released their latest lineup of IN-Command 7.2 Network Home Theater Receivers. There are four new models in the Denon AVR-X1000 to AVR-X4000 range, but we are particularly interested in the Denon AVR-X4000 receiver which supports 4K video pass through, and upscaling.

With new more affordable 4K / Ultra HD TVs coming our way, such as the 55-inch, and 65-inch Sony X900A series which starts at just $4,999 now available, and other cheaper options coming our way very soon, people are going to want to upgrade their equipment to 4K supporting.