The HDTVs of CES 2012 – The Verge

Vizio will jump on the 4K TV bandwagon, but not this year (hands-on)

2012-01-13T13:10:03-05:00

Vizio 4K TV

Vizio doesn't have any 4K TVs yet, but it was showing off an 84-inch prototype showcasing the next resolution bump at CES this week. When we say prototype, we mean not even close to production - you can't see it in the photos, but the TV had a seam down the middle that became noticeable when there was motion across it. It was difficult to judge the quality of the higher resolution because most of the content displayed on it wasn't 4K. The TV doesn't have a name, and it's not remotely close to a price or release date, but Vizio wants the world to know it's moving to 4K.

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The best of Samsung’s 2012 TV lineup: 75-inch Series 8 LED, 55-inch OLED, and 4K prototype display

2012-01-12T16:25:46-05:00

Gallery Photo: Samsung's 2012 TV lineup photos

As per usual, Samsung announced a boatload of TVs during its press conference earlier in the week, so we hit the floor to pull out the highlights. The most stunning display was certainly the 55-inch OLED prototype, which we heard should be on sale by the 2nd half of the year. The viewing angles were superb, the bezel was nearly invisible, and the back was essentially a giant metal mirror - certainly one of the nicest products we've seen this week. As for products shipping sooner, Samsung's Series 8 LED TVs were nearly as impressive as the OLED and support Samsung's smart interactions. They're also even bigger - the screen tops out at 75 inch …

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Sony still working on OLED display tech, developing Crystal LED ‘in parallel’

2012-01-11T20:20:46-05:00

Gallery Photo: Sony Crystal LED Display prototype pictures from CES 2012

LG and Samsung are showing off crazy next-gen OLED TV prototypes here at CES, but Sony went another way with its Crystal LED prototype - it's extremely impressive, with nearly 90-degree viewing angles, but it's also prompted a lot of rumors that Sony's abandoning OLED TVs for the consumer market. We asked for clarification and it seems the truth is a little different: Sony says that Crystal LED will be developed in "parallel" to OLED for future consumer and professional applications. We don't know if that definitively means that Sony will put out any future consumer OLED TVs - it hasn't done anything meaningful since it killed the XEL-1 in 2 …

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On the floor at LG: an 84-inch 4K prototype, and the 1mm-bezel LM9600

2012-01-11T16:17:32-05:00

lg_84_inch_4k

We've been walking around LG's booth at CES and one of the biggest draws here is the company's 84-inch 4K monster panel. The display, marked "84UD," is a 3840×2160-pixel LCD with 8 million-color pixels and LED edge lighting, and FPR (passive) 3D. Inside, the behemoth has built-in Blu-ray to 4K upconversion and LG's Smart TV platform. A rep on the floor told us that we can expect the TV in stores in the second half of 2012.

The company had the rest of its 2012 lineup laid out, and we also spotted the LM9600, a slim 55-incher with a tiny 1mm bezel. The image only stops 5mm from the edge of the TV, making for a pretty dramatic black bar-less eff …

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Samsung Smart TV with ‘Smart Interaction’ (hands-on video)

2012-01-11T14:01:41-05:00

Samsung Smart TV

We just got a chance to check out Samsung's Smart TV tech at CES 2012, and we've got a hands-on video for you. The TV features Samsung's "Smart Interaction" tech, using two unidirectional mics and an integrated webcam for motion and voice control - users can turn the TV on or off, change the volume, activate apps, and search the web. The TV can also identify users with face recognition via the integrated webcam. Be sure to check out our Samsung storystream for more information on their showings at CES 2012.

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Panasonic’s 2012 Smart Viera plasma HDTVs offer improved panels, expand app ecosystem

2012-01-11T12:13:00-05:00

Gallery Photo: Panasonic 2012 Smart Viera plasma CES booth

Panasonic remains one of the last manufacturers using plasma displays in consumer HDTVs, yet if its presence here at CES is any indication, the company remains fully invested in the technology. Its 2012 Viera plasma lineup totals 17 products in all, grouped into six product lines - U50, XT50, UT50, ST50, GT5, and the signature VT50 series. Self-illuminating panels are utilized in all devices, providing the deep black levels that have garnered Panasonic a loyal following of home theater enthusiasts.

The real hardware refinements are reserved for models beginning with the UT50 line, where the addition of NeoPlasma Black 2550 FFD (Focused Field …

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Haier Transparent OLED TV hands-on

2012-01-10T19:40:52-05:00

Gallery Photo:

A 22-inch television may not sound that interesting - but what if you can see right through it? Haier is showing off just such a device here at CES, as part of its "Future Technologies" portfolio of products. As you can tell from the gallery below, this isn't a television aimed at the living room: it packs a resolution of 1680 x 1050 with 8-bit color depth, and it requires an external backlight to render images in any conventional sense. Haier sees it being used in commercial applications, such as strore-front displays and wall installations, and we've heard the company will soon be announcing a 46-inch version as well. While the novelty was …

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Vizio reveals new line-up of 3D HDTVs, expands app market selection

2012-01-10T08:02:31-05:00

Vizio Television Lineup

Vizio has announced new models in its line of 3D-capable high-definition LCD televisions, while increasing the number of titles available on its Vizio Internet Apps platform. The televisions range from 32-inch to 65-inch models, all feature built-in Wi-Fi, and utilize the company's passive "Theater 3D" technology, which it claims provides a 3D viewing experience without the nasty headaches and sore eyes we've come to expect. The entry level E-Series includes 32-, 42-, and 47-inch models, priced from $549.99 to $899.99, and are available now. The M and R Series feature increasingly improved backlighting, while also upping the number of 3D gla …

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Vizio introduces CinemaWide HDTV lineup featuring theater-like 21:9 aspect ratio

2012-01-10T08:02:16-05:00

Vizio CinemaWide HDTV press photo

Vizio is pursuing every segment of the home theater market at this year's CES. Along with announcing an updated line of mainstream HDTVs, the company has introduced a premium collection of HDTVs known as CinemaWide. That name is a natural fit for the LCD sets, which the manufacturer touts as the world's first to utilize an aspect ratio of 21:9 (something Philips may disagree with). Such unique dimensions allow movies shot in CinemaScope - the predominant method used by today's filmmakers - to be displayed without black bars. Three display sizes will be offered, and they're of the larger variety, coming in at 50, 58, and 71 inches. Edge-lit L …

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Sony Crystal LED Display prototype pictures, videos, and impressions

2012-01-09T21:19:13-05:00

Sony Crystal LED hero

It's the viewing angles, really. Sony's 55-inch Crystal LED display prototype is an impressive piece, but being able to view clearly from near-90 degree angles, color intact, is quite a spectacle in person. We did our best to recapture it that from the showfloor of Sony's CES 2012 booth, which you can view in the gallery below. We spent some time watching a series of slides and video clips on the device, both in bright light and in a more cavernous unit next to an LCD TV. The colors were more vibrant, particularly the reds, and blacks were truer and darker. The colors, it should be noted, also looked a little bit warmer than its 55-inch BRAVI …

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