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Archive for the '1080p' Tag

New ‘entry-level’ TVs cost more than high-end models

August 6th, 2008, 8:22 am by

Sharp’s new entry-level SB-series HDTVSharp Electronics just added a cheaper version of its AQUOS TV to its lineup that targets an ‘entry-level’ market.

These are full 1080p LCD HDTVs. But the prices didn’t look very entry-level to me. They start at $1,400 for a 42-inch TV and go up to $1,700 for the 46-inch version and $2,300 for a 52-inch non-Aquos, according to Sharp.  Sharp’s higher-end TVs are priced higher, at least you’d think.

I asked Sharp about the difference and a spokeswoman told me it’s not just price difference, but these new TVs lack a few other high-end features.

The entry-level SB series doesn’t t include the “AQUOS Engine,” which has a 4-wavelength backlight system for video processing (i.e., without this, the TV’s range of colors isn’t as wide or deep). Read the rest of this entry »

Ready for full HDTV broadcasts? DISH launches 1080p

July 31st, 2008, 3:00 am by

DISH Network’s TurboHDDISH Network will begin upgrading subscribers on Friday for full high-definition TV broadcasts, known as 1080p. By the end of the weekend, subscribers who have the company’s HD DVR will not only get the upgrade to its TurboHD service but access to the first movie, “I am Legend.”

However, the ability to view HD broadcasts pertains only to movies on demand, or “theatrical” recordings, as Jessica Insalaco, DISH’s chief marketing officer, describes it. Even though many TVs today can handle the technology, no TV stations are actually broadcasting in full, 1080p quality.

(The”p” and the “i” refer to progressive or interlaced video. Older TVs show us two alternating sets of 240 horizontal lines. Our minds interpret the “interlaced” result as a singular image made of 480 lines. “Progressive” technology delivers the whole image in one fell swoop. It doesn’t rely on the human mind to stitch two images together.)

DISH Network’s HD DVR

TV broadcasters haven’t gone the 1080p route yet because delivering that content takes up a lot of space on the airwaves. Instead, HD broadcasts are either 720p or 1080i. Currently, the only way consumers can view 1080p content is to get a high-definition DVD player, such as a Blu-ray disc or the defunct HD DVD format, or one of the PlayStation3 or Xbox 360 game consoles. Read the rest of this entry »

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