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My prediction: This is going to be a big year for TV. But not because the last episode of “Lost”  airs next month. Or because yet another season of “American Idol” is one of this year’s highest rated shows.

What’s changing is how we watch TV. Hulu.com, which offers a ton of recently aired TV shows, is a mainstream hit. There are trials by Time Warner Cable offering subscribers access to some cable TV shows on the Web. Dish announced something similar (read: “Coming soon: Dish to let users watch TV online“).

Cable TV companies are losing subscribers. Online video sites, which allow users to pick and choose what they want to watch, are gaining viewers. And for the first time last fall, a major cable provider took its fight against the ever-increasing fees paid to networks to rebroadcast shows public. Something has got to give!

While the state of paid TV is undergoing a monumental change, several services are already available to help consumers pay for only what they want to watch. Now, there’s probably more than 10 suggestions on how to watch web TV on a TV, but you get the picture.

While you can hook up a computer to your PC (a la Windows Media Center or some other DIY software), I’ve tracked down some newer alternatives to pipe TV shows from the Web to your big screen TV.  I’ve listed some below, but I’m sure every reader has his or her own favorites. Please share with the rest of us in the comments and if I’m able, I’ll elevate them to the list below.

How else can you watch TV?

What is it: One of the easiest ways to watch Hulu.com on a TV. It allows a game console (Xbox 360, PS3 or Wii) to access Hulu.com and other online video on a TV.Investment: $40 for the software (search deal sites to get it for less), plus a compatible game console or DLNA device, a home computer and home network. Monthly fees: Need high-speed Internet service subscription. No additional Playon fees at the moment What you get: One of the easier ways for a TV to access Hulu, Netflix, Youtube, podcast videos and other online video. On-demand content includes TV shows from CBS.com, ESPN.com, plus plugins (thanks to 3rd-party sites) Cartoon Network, Discovery Channel, Food Network, Fox News, HGT, MTV, NBC, NFL, Nickelodeon, SyFy and Spike TV. Cons: The game console isn’t the one going online to fetch the TV shows. It relies on a home computer to do so. The computer with PlayOn software must be left on. There’s some DIY involved, but this is by far, much easier — and more aesthetically pleasing — than hooking up a laptop to the TV. How to get it on TV: Besides the game consoles, PlayOn works with the NETGEAR Digital Entertainer Live EVA2000, Moxi HD DVR, VuNow VN1000SD/HD and HP MediaSmart TV. Check the latest devices HERE. On this same user guide is a list of other devices like DirecTV and D-Link boxes that work but are not officially supported.			Read about PlayOn user Jeremy Baker’s experience: “Ditching cable for Xbox saves Seal Beach man $70/month.” Got a PC and fast Internet? You have the basic tools to access dozens of web sites offering free or cheap access to TV shows. Here are a few: ► Hulu.com — This joint venture includes owners from NBC Universal, News Corp. and The Walt Disney Company. It’s become one of the most popular sites online to view regular TV shows. ► LocateTV (locatetv.com) — Offers a directory of what’s on TV offline and online. If the show is online, users can watch immediately on a PC. ► Fancast.com, brought to viewers by Comcast Interactive Media, offers free TV shows on demand. ► AT&T Entertainment (link: entertainment.att.net/tv) from AT&T of course, offers similar selection to Hulu.
What is it: Watch Instantly is an extension of Netflix’s popular video rental service but you don’t have to leave your house to pick up or return movies. Moves are streamed to your TV from the Internet. Investment: A Netflix-friendly device, which include game consoles, connected TVs and others (see list below). Monthly fees: Minimum plan of $8.99 gets user unlimited access to Netflix streaming library of thousands of movies and TV shows. User will also need high-speed Internet service subscription. The minimum plan includes one DVD rental at a time, which is returned by snail mail. What you get: Watch entire seasons of TV shows, including “The Office,” “Weeds” and “Lost” for one price, albeit a season later than everyone else. Netflix’s online library continues to expand. New releases, as of April 6, include “Julie & Julia,” “Angels & Demons” and season 5 of “Weeds.” Cons: This won’t help if you need to know what happened last night on “Lost.” Available episodes are dependent on the last DVD release. For example, the first 5 seasons of “The Office,” now in season 6, are the latest available. Selection is limited and not as vast as Netflix’s DVD library. But the library continues to grow. Also, there’s still a subscription fee though new customers qualify for a free month. One inconvenience: If viewing Netflix service on a Wii or PlayStation 3, a special disc needs to be inserted. Xbox 360 users must subscribe to Xbox Gold Live for an additional fee. How to get it on TV: Numerous Internet devices pipe Netflix videos to the big screen including the 3 major game consoles, the Roku digital player, plus several HDTVs and Blu-ray players. Here’s a complete list: LINK.			A la carte TV? On a PC, you can pick and choose which full episodes you really want to watch for free. ► CBS at cbs.com/video ► NBC at nbc.com/video ► ABC at abc.go.com/watch ► FOX at fox.com/fod ► PBS at video.pbs.org ► Discovery Channel dsc.discovery.com/videos/ ► Disney Channel home.disney.go.com/tv ► Lifetime (full episodes of ‘Project Runway’), mylifetime.com/video ► ComedyCentral.com ► ESPN at espn.go.com/video ► MLB.tv offers full out-of-market games 90 minutes after they air. Or watch all games online at MLB.tv for a minimum of $20/month or $120/year. ► Got another? Comment below. Thanks!
What is is: The first hardware built to put the Boxee online TV service on a TV. D-Link Systems, based in Fountain Valley, happens to be the first company to build a device for Boxee. Investment: Price TBD. Users will need the box in order to pipe the Boxee video service to the TV. Alternatively, users can hook up a PC to the TV and access the free Boxee service. Monthly fees: Besides high-speed Internet, there should be none. What you get: Boxee connects viewers to several sources of Web videos online, including Netflix, Youtube, Cons: It’s not out yet. How to get it on TV: Because D-Link is building the box, this will plug into a TV and Internet with the usual cables. No need to add a PC to the home entertainment center anymore.			From readers (thanks all!): ► Irvine’s www.koldcast.tv Have another? Comment below What’s coming:► Redbox, which has DVD vending machines, wants to get into “low-cost video streaming,” says PC Magazine. More AltTV on TV: ► Vudu - On-demand HD movie rental site available as a feature on several TVs and the Vudu box. ► WDTV Media Player — Western Digital’s TV-in-a-box that attaches to a big TV and Internet. It offers viewers access to PlayOn software, which in turn can access Hulu.com.
What is it: Sezmi.com is a new TV service that mixes over-the-air broadcasts with select cable TV channels for a monthly fee of $5 to $20. Price: The key is the $299 1-terabyte DVR that fetches shows online and over the air and feeds it to users based on preferences. Monthly fees: Monthly fee of $4.99 offers access to over-the-air channels, Youtube and other web videos. For $19.99/month, around 15 cable TV channels are added. User provides own high-speed Internet service. What you get: Access to broadcast TV channels, including ABC, CBS, NBC, FOX and PBS and other over-the-air channels available in your neighborhood. The premium plan includes access to Animal Planet, Bravo, Discovery Channel, TNT, TLC, MTV, CNN, TruTV, Comedy Central, Cartoon Network, TruTV, SyFy, USA, TBS and VH1. Both plans offer access to YouTube, on-demand movies (which may include rental fee), and thousands of video podcasts. Cons: Service requires up-front investment with the $299 DVR, plus installation is DIY. Read the review, “Sezmi TV a deal at $20/month but not for everyone, says tester.” How to get it on TV: The box connects to the TV and home’s Internet using the usual cables.			REVIEW: Reader Josh Kaplan reviews Sezmi: “Sezmi TV a deal at $20/month but not for everyone“ What about broadcast TV?If you’ve got a good roof-top antenna, digital TV or digital converter box, you should be able to access most of the over-the-air TV channels for free. It’s a great alternative if you can actually get the channels to come in. Some tips: ► Visit AntennaWeb.org to get a general idea of how good reception will be at your house. ►Check TitanTV.com to see what digital channels you should already be receiving.
What is it: They look like regular HDTVs or Blu-ray Disc players, but they’ve also got an Internet connection. That gives these connected devices access to dozens of video sources online. TV makers are creating their own library of video services, which includes companies like Vudu (rent or buy HD movies), Amazon on Demand (rent or buy), Netflix and more. Price: These connected TVs start around $1,000 while Blu-ray players are around $200 and up. Monthly fees: Depends on what “app” you use. For example, there’s no subscription fee to Vudu, but you pay $3.99 or more to rent or buy the movie. What you get: Access to  nearly every movie or streaming video available online but usually for a small fee. Cons: You’ll need one of these devices. And these don’t give you free access to the Internet, so you likely won’t be watching Hulu.com TV shows on TV. Also, each manufacturer is working on agreements with the various video sites so offerings will differ from company to company.
► There are many more options out there but I can’t list them all (Apple TV, Windows Media Center…) For all the experts out there, other readers would appreciate your suggestions so please comment below. Thanks!

For more on TV services, see the following links:

					* Time Warner Cable * Cox Cable * Verizon FiOS * AT&T U-verse		* DirecTV * Dish Network * Web TV * All TV

It’s official: Vizio shipped more LCD HDTVs in the U.S. than any other TV company last year, according to iSuppli, a market research company that tracks TV sales. The Irvine HDTV company nearly doubled its sales, growing 92.1 percent last year from the prior year.

Vizio was  neck-and-neck with Samsung all year. During some quarters, Vizio led the game, in other quarters, it was Samsung, which heavily pushed the newer LED back-lit technology. But ultimately, Vizio took the lead, ending the year with 5.92 million HDTVs sold. Samsung sold 5.60 million.

Even without its much-anticipated Internet TV, Vizio dominated the Christmas season, selling about 135,000 more TVs then second-place Samsung. During the fourth quarter, Vizio sold 1.844 million LCD TVs, making Vizio the champ for 2009.

Interestingly, iSuppli’s research shows that Toshiba also had a stellar year, growing 81.7 percent from the prior year. The TV maker, which has its U.S. laptop and storage operations in Irvine, sold 2.394 million LCD TVs. The company also sells plasma TVs and other TV technologies.

Vizio has already made a splash in 2010 by announcing a 3D HDTV, expected in late summer, plus super skinny TVs, mobile TVs, TV headphones, Internet routers,  and other TV accessories (read earlier: “Vizio goes beyond TV with 6 new gadgets.”) It also signed Beyonce Knowles Carter as its latest celebrity spokesperson and invested in its second Super Bowl commercial.

iSuppli analyst Riddhi Patel said that Vizio took the lead because of increased brand recognition and, more importantly, “providing technology advancements at affordable prices,” Patel said.

But Samsung still was at the top in one case: The best selling LCD TV. Samsung’s 32-inch LN32B360, priced at $549, was the nation’s top selling TV during the fourth quarter, according to Quixel Research.

Recent stories about Vizio:

]]> http://gadgetress.freedomblogging.com/2010/02/22/vizio-not-so-little-anymore-takes-no-1-spot-for-hdtv-sales/36889/feed/ 24 http://gadgetress.freedomblogging.com/2010/02/08/ouch-backlash-for-vizio-super-bowl-ad/35639/ http://gadgetress.freedomblogging.com/2010/02/08/ouch-backlash-for-vizio-super-bowl-ad/35639/#comments Mon, 08 Feb 2010 19:31:52 +0000 Tamara Chuang, a.k.a. The Gadgetress http://gadgetress.freedomblogging.com/?p=35639

It was hard to avoid Vizio at the Super Bowl yesterday. The Irvine HDTV company was obviously a major sponsor of the football game with its sponsorship of the pre-game show, the field camera and several commercials.

But the big Super Bowl spot starring musician Beyonce failed to resonate with many critics, though it definitely wasn’t the worst of the bunch.

Vizio hired Wally Pfister, the cinematographer for “The Dark Knight” and “Batman Begins” to create a commercial for its new VIA TVs, short for Vizio Internet Apps TVs.

The spot shows a mechanical arm handpicking familiar Internet “content” — from the Twitter bird to the Flickr logo to the Internet celebrities like the overweight guy lip synching “Numa Numa,” Youtube Tay Zonday singing “Chocolate Rain” the Dramatic Beaver and others.

It’s a commercial you’ll need to watch a few times to catch all the pop-Internet references. And it may take awhile for it to make sense — ahh Internet on a TV. Clunky, yes. Vizio could have brought it all home with a family sitting in their living room viewing the Web content on their big-screen TV.

Internet critics were harsh. One site called it “somewhat disturbing.” The Wall Street Journal’s Peter Kafka titled his review, “How to Cram Most of the Web Into One Super Bowl Ad–And Not Sell TVs” plus four words: “Swing and a miss.”

Entertainment weekly also criticized Vizio for failing to get its point across — Internet on demand on a TV – and used words like “old memes” and obscure” to describe the ad.

But not everyone agreed. USA Today’s Ad meter ranked the Vizio ad at No. 39 out of the 63 commercials. One contributor for the Examiner.com ranked it her favorite ad for the whole game, calling it “cool because the TV just looked so high tech and the tv of the future.”

And maybe people really did get it. As Television Without Pity points out: “Outdated Chocolate Rain reference aside, this Vizio internet apps commercial was a mural of all the greatest things the internet has to offer, all crammed onto a TV. I can have zombies, David After the Dentist and Beyonce on the same thing I use to watch The Bachelor? Sold. Great pitch.”

Noted: The Vizio VIA TV isn’t a TV that lets you surf the Web. It only offers Internet apps so you can view specific online content. The TV itself was supposed to go on sale last summer but was delayed. The company allowed a certain group of consumers buy the TV at a discount in late 2009. The TVs are now available online.

Watch all of the Super Bowl 2010 commercials at Hulu.com. Also, rate the ads over at USA Today HERE.

More non-game Super Bowl coverage:

It’s a big year for Orange County’s tech-minded companies. Three are involved in Super Bowl ads, airing today. We got them ahead of time and have set them up to be available once they appear on TV. Until then, you’ll just see some blank spots below and will need to satisfy yourself with the extra filler.

	Vizio, HDTV company in Irvine
	Click here to view the embedded video.
	Vizio signed Beyonce in January to replace San Diego Charger LaDainian Tomlinson as its go-to celebrity. But she’s not just a pretty face. The company has hinted that her fashion expertise may mold its new line of TV accessories targeting women. This is Vizio’s second Super Bowl commercial. It’s expected to air during the fourth quarter. UPDATE: Chocolate Rain, Numa Numa Internet celebs was a nice touch (not to mention the Twitter bird and other Internet icons). Not sure if most people got this commercial though.
	More: ► Beyoncé, Batman, the 2010 Super Bowl and Vizio ► Vizio hires Beyoncé as new spokesperson

	Boost Mobile, prepaid wireless firm based in Irvine
	Click here to view the embedded video.
	After a smashing great year, Boost Mobile decided it was time to spread the word about how right it is to go with prepaid phone service. The company, which helped parent company Sprint gain customers last year, hired members of the 1985 Chicago Bears team, possibly best known for doing the ‘Super Bowl Shuffle.’ In this commercial, Boost continues its campaign of pointing out things that are soooo wrong.
	More: ►Boost’s $2.5 million bet: Super Bowl ad to parody 1985’s ‘Shuffle’

Also, check out our story about how San Clemente resident Matt Gahan won a national contest to make a Super Bowl ad for CareerBuilder.com.

Watch all of the Super Bowl 2010 commercials at Hulu.com. Also, rate the ads over at USA Today HERE.

More non-game Super Bowl coverage:

I’ve seen Vizio’s Super Bowl 2010 ad with Beyonce but have promised not to reveal anything until after the ad airs during the fourth quarter of the game. But Vizio did share this with readers:

Beyonce is the Irvine HDTV company’s latest celebrity endorsee. It’s great that Vizio signed her but let me say this, she’s not the only celebrity showing up in Sunday’s TV commercial.

Vizio also shares this: Besides the Beyonce commercial, the company has the opening and closing bill boards and two 30-second spots during the pre-game show, which it’s sponsoring. Its Internet TVs will decorate the background of the anchor desk plus its name will be on the camera that hovers above the field — the Vizio Vision Cam.

How much is Vizio spending? No idea, but last year’s ad cost the company a minimum of $1 million in TVs it gave away to consumers.

Read the earlier story: “Beyoncé, Batman, the 2010 Super Bowl and Vizio“

I’ll have all the commercials posted on the blog Sunday after they air. Come back if you feel like giving me some more page views

Check out the Register’s 2010 Super Bowl coverage HERE. More non-game Super Bowl coverage:

3D movies today are far from the fuzzy 3D of the 20th century, where  blue-and-red cardboard goggles were more of a fashion statement then advancement in technology. At this year’s Consumer Electronics Show, it became very clear that 3D is heading to living rooms nationwide.

Pretty much everyone announced a 3D HDTV, including budget TV brand Vizio. But the even bigger news came from companies like DirecTV, ESPN and the Discovery Networks, which all announced major efforts to bring 3D videos to TV sets.

But are consumers ready for a 3D TV?

The simple answer: Not yet. Yes, many 3D TVs will begin hitting store shelves in late Spring. And DirecTV begins offering three 3D channels in June. But experts agree that the content is just not there yet. So, when should you buy a 3D TV?

“2013,” says Alfred Poor, an analyst who covers the TV industry and is known as the “HDTV professor.” “2013 is when we’ll start seeing 3D televisions shipping in quantity. Why? Because of content. Content is king, always has been, always will be. … Hollywood is now committed to producing 15 to 20 3D features this year. That averages to 2 to 3 hours each so that’s about 40 hours of new content. That’s not enough to fill a single week of primetime.”

DirecTV is working with Panasonic to offer the three channels beginning in June. They will include one pay-per-view channel, one special events channel (sports, music) and one video on demand channel. Subscribers who already have DirecTV’s HD box will get a free software update so they can access the 3D channels for free.  But viewers will need a 3D TV and 3D glasses to view the content.

Vizio's 3D baby

“We’ve always been a leader in providing the best television entertainment and that sometimes comes at a cost in seeding a certain market. We did the exact same thing with HD. We started subsidizing HD back in 1997 way before HD became a household word. We feel a similar commitment toward 3D entertainment and our customers,” said Steven Roberts, senior vice president with DirecTV. “It’s not too soon for the technology but it will take time for scale and adoption.”

DirecTV plans to send the 3D video over its existing 1080p broadcast technology. Roberts said the 3D broadcast doesn’t take up any more bandwidth than a 1080p video.  Cable companies will have more trouble offering 3D broadcasts because they have limited space in the cable pipe feeding video to customer homes. But satellite companies just shoot up another satellite into space to get more bandwidth.

Toshiba Cell

“The only thing I can tell you is the end result is the same as watching a 1080p movie,” Roberts said. ”Many people once they’ve seen sports in HD, it’s difficult for them to go back to SD (standard definition). I think this will be the same. When they see specific content in 3D, like golf or football, they won’t want to see football again in 2D.”

For most consumers, 3D will never become a daily activity even when it is mainstream. Even the folks at Irvine’s Mitsubishi Digital Electronics America , which has sold 3D TVs since 2007, believe 2D broadcasts will continue to rule.

“3D for consumers is going to be a periodic experience. They’re not going to don 3D glasses everyday. It’s a special experience,” said Nick Norton, Mitsubishi’s senior manager brand marketing. “As the volume of content increases, consumers will view 3D more frequently but I don’t think it will ever supplant 2D broadcasts.”

The Irvine company has so far sold about 750,000 of its 3D-ready TVs so it’s way ahead of the competition. (Many TV makers call the models “3D-ready” even though they are 3D TVs otherwise some consumers may think the  TVs won’t play regular 2D broadcasts.)

But here’s the key: If you’re in the market for a new HDTV anyway, the price of one that is 3D-ready may not cost much more. This is a big change from the early HDTVs, which cost thousands of dollars more than standard TVs.

Take Mitsubishi’s 60-inch 3D-ready WD60735, selling for $1,099 with free shipping at Amazon. The same retailer also has two other 60-inch non-3D Mitsubishi TVs are selling for $999 and $1,169.

“Any LCD TV that’s capable of doing a 120 Hz refresh rate or better can do 3D just fine because half the time it’s showing the left eye, the other half is the right eye,” Poor said. “So actually, there is little additional cost required to convert 120 Hz TV into a 3D capable one. You just need a 3D infrared emitter, which is the same technology used in remote controls, some circuitry and some changes in (software) programming. The cost is in the glasses, which now cost $50 to $100.”

Most of the upcoming 3D TVs haven’t been priced yet except for the new 72-inch HDTV from Vizio, coming out in August for $3,499. But that’s an estimate and the actual price could be higher. The Irvine TV seller doesn’t have a comparable  72-inch model without 3D but a smaller 55-inch TruLED HDTV is $2,200.

Vizio’s 3D TV isn’t targeting its usual customer. It’s part of a new higher-end line aimed at specialty retailers and custom installers who setup home entertainment centers. You won’t find this one at Costco.

“But when 3D matures and there’s broader acceptance for it, then it will go into (more mainstream) lines. We move our technology pretty quickly to the rest of the line,” said Vizio spokesman Jim Noyd, adding that LED-backlit TVs are now available in most models.

Of course, the expense doesn’t stop with the 3D TV. Users will also need to purchase a 3D Blu-ray Disc player or computer with a special 3D card, plus 3D glasses for everyone who wants to tune in. The Blu-ray Disc association recently approved the 3D technology and new players are expected this spring. Good news for Sony PlayStation 3 owners, the consoles will be able to watch 3D Blu-ray movies without a hardware upgrade.

Ironically, Mitsubishi may be the first out with a 3D TV but owners will need to buy an adapter if they want to watch 3D Blu-ray movies because the technologies are slightly different. Without the adapter, not to mention 3D goggles, Mitsubishi 3D TV owners can’t watch 3D Blu-ray movies.

And if you want for a 3D TV that doesn’t require glasses? Have fun waiting. While some models exist, the quality is not good.

“The way those work is the panel steers the light so that one image will fall on one eye and one on the other. But you have to be sitting in a certain spot in the room for it to work,” Poor said. “And it’s more expensive. People aren’t going to want to want to pay that premium.”

His advice: “Buy the TV you want now — 42-inch HDTVs are going for $500. Use  that for three years, enjoy it and then three years from now, move it to the bedroom and buy a $500 3D set.”

More 3D TV news:

Update: New photo from Vizio on right…

Vizio’s latest super-celebrity endorser  Beyoncé Knowles-Carter will indeed star in the Irvine HDTV company’s Super Bowl 2010 commercial, the company said this morning.

The 60-second commercial was directed by  Wally Pfister, a 3-time Academy Award nominee for cinematography who worked on “The Dark Knight” and “Batman Begins.  It will air during the fourth quarter of the game. No sneak peeks were revealed.

This is the second year the Irvine company will advertise during the Super Bowl and with actress/singer Beyonce, it’s sure to be much more entertaining than last year’s basic spot. Last year, the company focused on value and giving away $1 million worth of HDTVs.

This year, who knows? When I visited the company’s suite at the Consumer Electronics Show, it showed off several new TV accessories like headphones, Internet radios, routers and universal remotes. One headphones line in particular was created by fashion designers. With a touch of color, these fashion-minded headphones look like a headband and come in textured finishes and hand-stitched leather.

At the time, Vizio indicated hiring Beyoncé as its new face (see earlier story “Vizio hires Beyoncé as new spokesperson“) was part of its move into fashion. Guess we’ll see on February 7.

Vizio isn’t the only Orange County company advertising in this year’s game. Boost Mobile, also in Irvine, has gathered up members of 1985′s Chicago Bears who did the Super Bowl Shuffle. The recreation of the shuffle is sure to be oh so wrong, as part of its ongoing campaign against what wireless companies shouldn’t do (read earlier story, “Boost’s $2.5 million bet: Super Bowl ad to parody 1985’s ‘Shuffle’“).

Either way, both companies are spending big bucks for their spots. A research firm estimates that advertising in this year’s Super Bowl will cost  $2.5 million to $2.8 million for a 30-second spot since it is, after all, one of the most watched TV events each year.

Vizio, which dominated LCD HDTV sales last year and became the nation’s top selling brand, said it still sees itself as an up and comer.

“We may be the #1 LCD HDTV company in America, but we continue to operate with the same passion and ‘challenger-mindset’ that has always driven us,” said Laynie Newsome, VIZIO Co-Founder and V.P. Sales & Marketing.

She added, ”Our new partnership with Beyoncé along with this substantial presence during CBS’s Super Bowl broadcast, demonstrate that VIZIO isn’t about to take its foot off the throttle.”

Hmmm… throttle, Beyoncé, Batman — are these all hints as to what we’ll see in the commercial?

Vizio is also sponsoring the CBS Super Bowl Pre-Game Show entitled “The Super Bowl Today Presented by VIZIO.” The company will air 2 30-second commercials during the pre-game show.

More from Vizio:

Vizio conquered the LCD HDTV market last year. Now it wants a piece of the TV accessory market.

While the Irvine TV company unveiled its first Blu-ray Disc player, sound bar and cables last year, this year’s show had many nice surprises as well. It not only showed its latest TVs, including a 3D model and a super skinny HDTV, but it offered up a bunch of interesting TV accessories. I’ve highlighted the following, with pictures of course:

Universal remote control with built-in LCD – Two of them are coming but the more interesting one is the XRT100 touchscreen remote control has a 3.5-inch LCD display to control the home’s entertainment system. It will work with Vizio’s upcoming (and delayed) Internet TV, as well as older audio and video devices. Unlike the Samsung Wi-Fi remote with the built-in TV display, this one works over Bluetooth. Click photos to enlarge.

Headphones with built-in LCD — Why does one need an LCD screen on a set of headphones, I’m not quite sure. But it was cool to see. Vizio added a round LCD display to the outer part of each earpiece. Users will be able to see the album cover or personal images on the screens. These are future products with no price or availability date available. Watch the video I took inside Vizio’s dark CES suite:

Click here to view the embedded video.	Vizio’s LCD headphones

Fashion-minded headphones — Vizio hired fashion designers to come up with its new home theater Europa Bluetooth wireless headphones. With a touch of color, these fashion-minded headphones look like a headband and come in textured finishes and hand-stitched leather. As part of its new move into fashion, Vizio also added singer Beyoncé Knowles – Carter as its new face (see earlier story “Vizio hires Beyoncé as new spokesperson“). The company wanted to go beyond the basic black headset. Other in-ear headphones are simple and sleek. These are future products with no price or availability date. Some images:

And what are headphones without music? Well, there won’t be a Vizio MP3 player, but there’s going to be a new iPod/iPhone docking station with attached speaker. The VHP100 is a Bluetooth wireless home-theater headphone set with an iPod dock. It uses 2.4 Ghz to wirelessly connect with a Vizio soundbar or older soundbar systems (it accepts SPDIF and RCA inputs). There is active noise cancellation, five-hour battery life and a 3.5 mm audio jack if you want to take the headphones on an airplane.  This should be available in May for $299.99. Click image on right to enlarge.

Again, not an MP3 player, but Vizio also plans to launch two Internet radios with iPod docks. The $189.99 VIR100 (below left) Wireless Internet Radio with iPod Dock has a 7-inch touchscreen, includes FM radio and, of course, access to Internet radio stations via Wi-Fi wireless technology. The pricier $299.99 VOR 200 (below right) has the same display and Wi-Fi access but adds a better 2.1 audio system with subwoofer and audio processing from SRS Labs. Both radios are expected to ship in the fall 2010.

A Vizio Internet router? Yup. Vizio wanted to make sure its users get the best wireless HD video experience  so it’s launching the XWR100 HD Wireless Internet Router. This is an 802.11n dual-band wireless networking router with a 4-port 10/100 switch and a USB port. This should launch in April 2010 for $99.99. Separately, Vizio also will offer a four-port switch to extend the Internet signal to the living room. Its XWH100 Wireless HDMI Adapter is a four-port switch that uses SiBEAM’s 60 GHz technology, which is supposed to interfere less with other wireless technologies. The switch also offers communication between devices of up to 30 feet without needing to be in the line of sight. This is expected to go on sale in summer 2010 for $249.

Whew! What a show for Vizio. Don’t forget to check out other posts I wrote about the company’s new TVs:

One-third inch? Ha! Vizio TV is even skinnier

Vizio takes battery-operated TVs to new level

Vizio hires Beyoncé as new spokesperson

Vizio announces biggest, priciest HDTV (yup, it’s 3D)

For more CES 2010 coverage, visit the Gadgetress CES page at gadgetress.freedomblogging.com/ces2010.
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Biggest, loudest, shiniest, skinniest! That’s what makes a fun Consumer Electronics Show. And in the skinniest TV category, looks like Irvine’s Vizio may be the winner.

While Samsung unveiled the LED 9000, a one-third-inch thick TV, Vizio was showing a sample of the Blade, so named for its quarter-inch thinness.

Apologies for the mediocre images. I saw this in Vizio’s dark exhibit suite and they wouldn’t allow flash.

The TV is a prototype, but it works. The Samsung model hides all the electronics inside the base of the TV. Vizio’s skinny prototype cheats a bit with a fatter back. The edge of the TV is pretty skinny though.

And of course, the Samsung model is supposed to be out this year.

Vizio was a nice surprise at Las Vegas. The company came out with a bunch of crazy new stuff that I wasn’t expecting since it’s better known as a firm that sells low-priced HDTVs. More to come.

For more CES 2010 coverage, visit the Gadgetress CES page at gadgetress.freedomblogging.com/ces2010.
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Orange County’s little ol’ Vizio isn’t so little anymore. Besides taking the national lead in LCD HDTVs this year and picking up Beyoncé (yes, the superstar!) today as its celebrity endorser, the Irvine TV company is also keeping up with its much larger TV rivals when it comes to interesting new products.

Vizio is expanding beyond the TV set — pretty innovative stuff too that one wouldn’t expect from a company that gained popularity by appealing to consumers on a budget. So here begins a series of posts about Vizio’s new products, starting with …

Portable digital TVs: Three slim TVs — with screens of 7, 9 or 10 inches — could replace the battery-powered analog TV that became obsolete when the nation’s TV channels switched to digital. These battery-powered LED TVs, which can also be plugged into a power outlet, receive over-the-air broadcasts.  The rechargeable batteries last three hours.

Two of the models, the 9-inch and 10-inch have the new ATSC-M TV standard, which is a new broadcast signal that local stations can use to target mobile devices like phones, media players and laptops. These models also receive regular ATSC and NTSC signals. Controls are on the touch-sensitive screen. Both have a USB 2.0 port for photo viewing or listing to music.  All three are expected to be available later this year.

The TV models:

• VMB070 –  7-inch display, 800 by 480 resolution, 250 nits brightness, priced at $149.99. Dimensions are 8.2″ x 5.75″ x .75″
• VMB090 — 9-inch display, 800 by 480 resolution, includes HDMI 1.4, $199.99. Dimensions are 10″ x 7″ x just under 1″  thick.
• VMB100 — 10-inch display, includes HDMI 1.4, $229.99. Dimensions are 11″ x 7.5″ x just under 1″ thick.

For more CES 2010 coverage, visit the Gadgetress CES page at gadgetress.freedomblogging.com/ces2010.
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Vizio has gone big time here at the Consumer Electronics Show with a prime spot in the convention center hallway for attendees to play with the company’s Internet TVs. The Irvine TV seller has banners everywhere. And now, just minutes ago, the company signed a 3-year deal to have singer Beyoncé Knowles – Carter endorse its products.

Can we all say Wow!

The 3-year agreement means the singer will be part of Vizio’s ad campaign, which could include a SuperBowl commercial. Previously, Vizio had San Diego Chargers’ LaDainian Tomlinson.

Beyoncé and Vizio may seem like a strange coupling but the company has really expanded its product line once again here at CES.  I just spotted some brand new wireless headphones that Vizio plans to start selling this year. The new line appeals to the fashion minded who want more than the basic black set. Pink, blue, quilted are the some of the models I saw at the company’s secret suite at the Wynn Hotel. More on this later.

As the new face of Vizio, Beyoncé will also “participate in the design and performance characteristics of new products,” the company said.

“Beyoncé is in an elite class of entertainers who are globally known and respected for their talent on stage and in front of the camera,” Laynie Newsome, Vizio’s cofounder and vice president of sales and marketing communications said in a press release. “We believe both VIZIO and Beyoncé are closely aligned as American success stories who have redefined the rules in our respective industries.”

As for Beyoncé’s statement: ”What I love about VIZIO is how committed they have been to customers and their focus on delivering tremendous performance at a great value … As a performer, I can relate to that, because my fans spend their hard-earned money to see me perform, and I give everything I can to make sure I exceed their expectations. I’m excited to be associated with such a successful company.”

More on Vizio’s CES announcements coming soon… Stay tuned.

For more CES 2010 coverage, visit the Gadgetress CES page at gadgetress.freedomblogging.com/ces2010.
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I’ve got to admit, watching 3D shows on TV is very cool. But the experience is hard to capture in print and on a blog. I stopped by chipmaker Sensio Technology’s table during a pre-CES event Tuesday evening.

The Canadian firm, which happens to be providing the 3D decoder into new 3D TVs from Irvine’s Vizio, had plenty of cardboard glasses for attendees to try on and take a peek. Images really did appear to hover out of the TV. I didn’t feel like Bono was reaching out to touch me, but his hand did seem to stretch three inches from the TV screen.

I did my best to capture the experience. The left image below is the raw 3D video on a TV. The right photo is, obviously, the same image through special 3D glasses. Click either image to enlarge.

It made me get excited about U2 again.

Maybe 3D will be in my next TV even if I have to spring for some extra glasses?

For more CES 2010 coverage, visit the Gadgetress CES page at gadgetress.freedomblogging.com/ces2010. Most recent headlines:

With the annual gadget fest just days away, Irvine-based Vizio decided to unveil its HDTV lineup for 2010. And what a stunner: A 72-inch HDTV packed with goodies like 3D technology, wireless HDMI, Internet and, of course, the usual LED,  plus refresh rates of 480Hz.

And the price? Just $3,499!!

Okay, it’s not the usual big, affordable HDTV from Vizio for less than $2,000. But looking at the stuff inside, the new Vizio XVTPRO720SV is probably lower priced than a rival’s 3D, LED, 72-inch TV. More on this later. I’ll be meeting with Vizio at the Consumer Electronics Show later this week and will offer a fuller report. Here’s Vizio’s press release.

Meanwhile, take a look at some of the specs and photos of Vizio’s upcoming TV, which is slated to go on sale in August 2010:

Don’t forget to check out the CES 2010 page for the latest headlines:

Gadget mayhem starts Thursday at the annual Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. I’m heading out early to get any sort of sneak peek possible (so check my CES 2010 page for updates).

The show will be slightly smaller than last year, with about the same number of attendees (110,000, say organizers) and in a smaller space (down to one convention center). Still, with 2,300 exhibitors, that’s probably about 2,200 more than I’ll be able to meet.

What’s the big news for TVs this year? Show organizers say 3D TVs (yes, with goggles), which were also noted by the Los Angeles Times on Sunday. There’s even a special 3D Tech Zone in the main hall of the convention center.

“That functionality will become ubiquitous on every TV in the market,” predicted Tara Dunion, senior director of communications for the Consumer Electronics Association, which organizes the annual event.

Market researcher DisplaySearch forecasts that the 3D TV industry will hit $17 billion in revenues by 2018 and sell 64 million TVs, up from a mere 200,000 last year.

But 3D goggles? Yes, the movie Avatar was a huge hit, but will consumers really want to keep track of a pair of glasses? That’s pretty much the only way you can watch a 3D TV today.

“We have seen some solutions where you can put a screen over the monitor and make it 3D-enabled but for the most part, we’re still talking the glasses,” Dunion said. “We’re equating 3D with where HDTV may have been seven to 10 years ago. There will be some cool sporting events and more and more content coming. The glasses issue will be resolved in some consumer friendly fashion.”

Irvine-based Mitsubishi Digital Electronics has been selling a 3D TV since 2007. The TVs are a niche product for gamers or folks who want to watch the limited number of 3D movies available, like Hanna Montana, Beowolf, Journey to the Center of the Earth and Fly to the Moon. And yes, you still need glasses to get the best experience. Are people really going to be using 3D with glasses in the future?

David Naranjo, director of product development for Mitsubishi Digital Electronics, says yes.

“The 3D cinema experience has shown that if the eyewear is comfortable and form fitting, and the content is compelling and immersive, consumers will use the 3D glasses. The new 3D Avatar movie has grossed over $200 million due the content being very compelling and immersive. Consumers are more than willing to wear glasses in order to have an immersive experience. Our own qualitative and quantitative data also bears this out,” Naranjo said.

He doesn’t expect 3D TVs to remain a niche, but the key is content. As Hollywood expands into more 3D movie production, pretty soon such technology will be part of everyday life. After all, a decade ago, few people owned an HDTV and those who did spent outrageous amounts of money. Today, HDTVs are widely available and comparably affordable.

“Similar to HDTV, compelling and entertaining content will drive consumers to adopt the new technology and experience,” he added.

I’ll be checking out Mitsubishi’s 3D offerings, which includes a new 3D adapter to help a 3D Blu-ray player properly display on a TV. Also just announced, the first 3D HDTV from Vizio, another Irvine TV company. The new 72-inch XVT Pro Full HD3D is another TV packed with features, including built-in wireless HDMI, wireless networking for Internet access and LED technology.

Readers: Send me feedback on the show about what you’d like me to check out. I’ve got a full schedule but if I get questions, I’ll make some attempt to get them answered. Best way to reach me is e-mail: gadgetress@gmail.com.

Links to more CES 2010 coverage will be posted below:

File this in the stuff I just couldn’t get to but thought was interesting for readers:

• Vizio views listing in 5 years (Wall Street Journal)
• Comcast puts cable TV on Internet for subscribers (USA Today)
• Verizon: We’re testing 10 Gbps and you aren’t (BroadbandReports.com)
• AT&T Wireless CEO: U-Verse Taking 60% Share In New Markets(Wall Street Journal)
• Washington State suing DirecTV on consumers’ behalf (Seattle Times)
• Verizon prepares for the iPhone (BusinessWeek)

Here’s what I spent my time on this week:

• Time Warner could lose ‘Simpsons,’ ‘American Idol,’ more Fox shows
• TV set-top boxes lack innovation, says FCC
• Psssst: Digital cable TV is cheaper than analog cable
• Cox Cable: No price hikes planned for 2010 yet
• Boost Mobile adds unlimited calls to Mexico landlines for $10
• Free Wi-Fi Internet at McDonald’s begins January
• Verizon begins offering free Wi-Fi to its mobile broadband users
• Time Warner’s ‘Get Tough’ campaign launches in Spanish
• Time Warner 2010 price hikes mostly affect those who order the least
• Free Showtime for 4 days for Time Warner customers
• AT&T U-verse gets Cartoon Network HD, MSNBC HD, 3 more HD
• Verizon adds HDNet on demand

Have a good weekend!

Every year before Thanksgiving, Vizio tells consumers ahead of time how much prices will drop for special Black Friday sales. So maybe it’s not surprise that the company was rewarded with record-breaking sales.

The Irvine HDTV seller said this morning that U.S. consumers bought more than 280,000 HDTVs last week, up 40 percent from last year’s Black Friday sales. Vizio credited stores like Costco Wholesale and Sam’s Club for efficiently selling the TVs.

But it’s also new technology that probably wowed consumers. Vizio’s new TruLED technology inside brightens up the picture as necessary. Faster 120/240 Hz refresh rates to help keep video smooth during fast-moving scenes.

More than 50,000 120/240 Hz HDTVs were sold, up 945 percent from the same time last year. Vizio also pointed out that consumers snapped up 50-inch TVs or larger, with the company selling 20,000 of them, or 1,000 percent more than last year.

It’s a great way for the company to end the year, which included rising to the top of the U.S. LCD TV heap, winning some key patent fights and expanding into TV accessories business with a new speaker bar, video cables and a Blu-ray Disc player.

But, of course, the year isn’t quite over. Beginning Thursday, Vizio is taking $100 off its 40-inch LCD HDTV (VO400E). The $599.99 TV will be at Costco between Dec. 3 to Dec. 20. At Walmart, a 19-inch TV is now $178 through the end of the year.

“We consistently strive to offer consumers more and are pleased to see the great success of our high performance products which allow us to continue to grow and expand VIZIO products to a wider range of consumers seeking the latest technology at a great value,” Laynie Newsome VIZIO Co-founder and V.P. Sales and Marketing Communications, said in a statement.

Related:

Most consumers will agree that Vizio Inc. makes a decent HDTV that usually cost less than the competition. While the quality is debatable (let me reword this) not everyone is gaga for the brand, Vizio’s big pricing extravaganza begins right … around… NOW!

Just got a list of Vizio’s Black Friday 2009 prices starting with a $99 BLU-RAY PLAYER! But we all knew Blu-ray was going to hit $99 this Christmas, right?

Noticeably absent: Vizio’s VIA TV, the Internet TV I’ve been waiting for. Ah well. I hate shopping on Black Friday anyway.

But for everyone else who needs a new TV, here is Vizio holiday price lineup:

Costco:

• $300 off  VIZIO 55-inch Full HD 1080P 120Hz LCD TV (VF550M), $1,199.99 at Costco and Costco.com between Nov. 27 to Nov. 29.
• $100 off VIZIO 40-inch Full HD 1080P LCD TV (VO400E), $599.99 at Costco between Dec. 3 to Dec. 20
• $50 off VIZIO 32-inch Full HD 1080P LCD TV (VL320M), $399.99 at Costco between Nov. 27 to Nov. 29.
• $50 off VIZIO 32-inch HD LCD TV (VO320E), $339.99 at Sam’s Club, Costco and their online stores. Available now through Nov. 29.
• $40 off VIZIO Blu-ray Player w/free HDMI cable (VBR110), $99.99 at Costco and Costco.com, from Nov. 27 to 29.
• $50 off VIZIO Sound Bar with Wireless Subwoofer (VSB210WS) , $199.99 at Costco

Sam’s Club:

• $50 off VIZIO 32-inch HD LCD TV (VO320E), $339.99 at Sam’s Club, Costco and their online stores. Available now through Nov. 29.

Walmart:

• $30 off VIZIO 19-inch HD LCD TV (VA19LHDTV10T), $178 at Walmart available now through end of the year
• $99 off VIZIO 26-inch HD LCD TV (VA26LHDTV10T), $248 at Walmart from Nov. 21 to Nov. 27

Are these prices that great? Discuss among yourselves…

Don’t forget to visit the Register’s OC Deals Blog and its special Black Friday page HERE. Recent headlines:

UPDATE, 11/20: Added details about Sharp Electronic TVs. See below.

The California Energy Commission today unanimously voted to force TV manufacturers to build more energy-efficient big TVs by 2011, reports the Associated Press.

The move affects new TVs up to 58 inches. The change would reduce TV energy consumption by around 33 percent by Jan. 1, 2011, and then 49 percent by 2013. Currently, only a quarter of the TVs on the market today meet this standard, reports AP.

Here is a chart of the new standards: CLICK HERE.

TVs larger than 58 inches will be allowed to use more power.

“This is a really big deal, because once standards are in effect it will cut California’s power bill by $1 billion a year and avoid the need to build a large, 500 megawatt power plant,” said Noah Horowitz, senior scientist at the Natural Resources Defense Council in the AP story. “We hope in the long term, every TV sold in America will be just as efficient as those sold in California.”

UPDATE, 2:45 p.m.: Here’s an image Associated Press just released to graphically describe the new energy savings mandate:

While regulators have pushed for energy efficient TVs, the consumer electronics industry has fought new regulation. Many TV manufacturers, according to the Consumer Electronics Association, surpass minimum standards.

Irvine-based Vizio has a whole green effort, starting with last fall’s EcoTV, which exceeds Energy Star 3.0 requirements by 15 percent. A second TV, the VF551XVT, uses 50 percent less energy than current Energy Star standards.

Samsung plans to release the Luxia brand, which uses 40 percent less power than traditional LCDs. Available TVs in that line appear to use the latest LED technology to brighten screens and use less energy. Sony has the Eco Bravia line, which  also use 40 percent less energy then the rest of the company’s LCD TV line.

Mitsubishi TVs, in Irvine, also reports that it is ahead of the regulations. The company’s  LaserVue TV operates at 135 watts, which is one-third the power of today’s LCD TVs, and one-fourth the power of plasma TVs.

UPDATE: Sharp Electronics also sends a note saying that it has one of the lowest power-consuming TVs on the market. Its  52-inch AQUOS LED LCD TV with the lowest power consumption on the market – 158 watts less than required by California in 2011 and 59 watts lower than required in 2013. That would cut a consumer’s energy bill by 40 percent compared to an older LCD TV.   Plus, all of Sharp’s TVs sold today already meet the energy limit requirements in California, says the company.

Here is the full AP report: Calif. requires TVs to be more energy efficient

Previous OC Register stories about the regulation:

• California moves forward to ban energy inefficient TVs (Sept. 2009)
• Report claims 4,600 jobs lost if Calif. forces TVs to be more energy efficient
• State considers ban on big screen TVs

Vizio and Samsung continue to compete neck and neck in vying for consumer love when it comes to LCD TVs. This quarter, Samsung sold more TVs in the U.S. than the Irvine HDTV firm.

According to market research firm iSuppli Corp, the battle for first was a close one. Samsung was just 1.1 percent ahead of Vizio based on market share percentage points (added 3:01 p.m.). See the chart below. Samsung had 1.3  million vs. 1.2 million HDTVs sold. Vizio’s second-place finish also meant a drop in market share, the biggest decline of the TV companies in the top 5.

Vizio, otherwise, has been in the lead all year (see earlier report on 2nd quarter and 1st quarter results).

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Vizio is ahead of everyone else for the year. iSuppli also offered the year-to-date growth, with Vizio at the lead by 200,000 TVs. Samsung, with its spiffy LED-backlit TVs and major marketing campaigns is at a close second.

iSuppli TV analyst Riddhi Patel says it’s Vizio’s “aggressive marketing efforts and its strategy of providing newer technologies at value prices.” But Samsung’s LED back-lit technology make for a super-slim TV and that’s what has gotten consumer attention.

For the year, Vizio has grown 87 percent, compared to the industry’s average of 11 percent, said Laynie Newsome, Vizio co-founder and vice president of sales and marketing communications.

DisplaySearch, another research firm, put Vizio’s year-over-year growth at 70 percent. The industry average is 9 percent.

But Vizio didn’t have the top-selling TV, according to Quixel Research. That honor went to Samsung’s LN32B360, a 32-inch TV selling for $549. Vizio, however, was the only seller to have two TVs in the top-selling 5.

Previous Vizio coverage:

CATCHING UP: When it comes to patents, Irvine HDTV company Vizio tends to be on the losing end. Let me clarify this: Patents have made Vizio’s life extremely complicated [Added 9:50 a.m.] .

This is because the company specializes in selling TVs, not developing the next technology. It’s gotten them into legal disputes with companies that own the TV patents. At one point, there was talk of cutting off Vizio’s TV supply because Vizio wasn’t paying licensing fees.

And then late Wednesday, the company announced it was licensing its patents to Sony Corp. What? Vizio owns patents?

“No comment,” the company replied to my question on how many patents Vizio owns [added 9:50 a.m.].

A quick search under “Vizio” at the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office reveals that indeed, the company owns some patents. At least two: Some sort of memory card design, which was invented by 3 Orange County residents; and one for a TV with detachable speakers, developed by Vizio founder William Wang.

No idea if this new patent portfolio licensed to Sony includes these two patents. More likely, Vizio has done its own hunting down of TV patents and purchased them to compete with rival Funai Electric Co., which acquired digital TV patents from Thompson and RCA and then went on a quest to get licensing fees from TV manufacturers.

In the latest press release, Vizio says it “owns a substantial worldwide patent portfolio directed to digital television technology.”

Vizio goes on to say that it has resolved its dispute over color TV patents owned by Sony.

“Having successfully resolved the disputes, we shall continue to aggressively protect our rights and actively expand VIZIO’s licensing program.  As an owner of patent rights and as a licensee of legitimate patent right held by others, VIZIO respects intellectual property and we expect our competitors to do the same,” said Rob Brinkman, Vizio’s vice president of operations and administration in a statement.

Since some of Vizio’s patents will be used in a new line of Vizio TVs, I’m betting Vizio also has some pending patents on its upcoming Internet TV, which fans, geek sites and myself are excited about. The TV will include Wi-Fi and an Ethernet port, plus access to several on-screen widgets like Netflix, Facebook and Twitter.

Recent stories about Vizio:

If you’ve been wanting to get your hands on a gadget that softens overly loud commercials, now’s your chance to get one for free — just tell your annoyingly loud TV commercial story in 500 words or less.

The contest is sponsored by Santa Ana-based SRS Labs, which I wrote about earlier this month. Its TruVolume technology has popped up in a few TVs and sound systems. It automatically lowers the volume of TV commercials. Read about my experience and watch the video at “SRS Labs’ gadget could end annoyingly loud TV commercials.”

For long-time readers, you may remember that I used to offer a round-up of contests that awarded geeky prizes. This is definitely one of them. Plus, since it takes some effort, there could be few entries. Hmm… should I bring this feature back?

Ian Hamilton, who writes for the Irvine Business blog has the  contest scoop in his recent post, “Hate loud commercials? Write a story about it and win.” The prize is Vizio’s new sound bar, a $199 $350 speaker with TruVolume built in. SRS has three of them up for grabs.

For even less time and effort, you could win a Samsung HDTV with TruVolume. Just watch a silly commercial and vote at www.srslabs.com/truvolume. SRS is giving away a 22-inch, 32-inch and 40-inch Samsung HDTV to the lucky voters.

Good luck!

If you’ve kept up with the latest in TV technology, you know that many TV manufacturers have either released their first Internet TV or are about to.

But what you may not know is that Irvine’s Broadcom Corp. is providing its ‘connected’ chip to enable Internet in many of these TVs. And it’s overseeing what content gets included.

Features like watching YouTube videos or checking stocks and local weather are activities that TV watchers will get access to in these new TVs.

But integrating Yahoo Widgets into the TV, for example, is not a simple task, said Stuart Thomson, Broadcom’s senior director of product marketing for Digital TV. TVs don’t have as much memory as computers so engineers must work more efficiently, for one thing.

“We worked very hard on the responsiveness to make sure Yahoo Widgets worked well in an embedded environment,” Thomson said. ”We worked a lot with Yahoo to make this work.”

And Netflix, apparently. The only TV offering Netflix’s “Watch Instantly” streaming service are the LG Broadband TVs, which have Broadcom’s chip inside. The LG TVs went on sale in early summer.

Besides LG TVs, upcoming TVs with Broadcom’s “connected” chip include Sharp, Humax (in Europe) and Zinwell (in Taiwan). The company is also working with Irvine-based Vizio not just on TVs but on Vizio’s noteworthy QWERTY remote control. (Other TV manufacturers with Internet TVs include Sony, Samsung and Panasonic.)

Delving into Internet TVs shouldn’t be much of a surprise to anyone who follows Broadcom. The company, better known for getting its chips inside iPhones and Wi-Fi routers, has long been a part of the TV industry and supplied chips to set-top boxes.

In fact, while visiting its Irvine office recently, I saw a demo of what can happen to a set top box with a Broadcom chip inside.  Program the DVR on your cell phone? Yup. Multi-room DVRs? Of course!

Users can send a file from set top box to iPhone or to a computer because Broadcom’s products are “Digital Living Network Alliance” friendly. Essentially, that allows videos, music, photos and other files to be shared on a home network. The Sony PlayStation 3, for example, is DLNA friendly as well.

And the beauty of Broadcom’s philosophy is that the company attempts to add all these features to chips without increasing the price to the manufacturer.

That doesn’t mean such TVs will be cheaper — it’s up to the TV manufacturer to set the consumer price. But take a look at the 47-inch LG Broadband TV, which has a suggested price of $1,600. It’s selling for $1,139 at Amazon.com. The same sized  47-inch LG TV without Internet is the same price.

“I would say this started two years ago,” Thomson said. “This is what we said we wanted to get to — the connected TV.”

Earlier stories on Broadcom: