http://www.ecoustics.com/latest/news Latest news, updated every five minutes http://www.ecoustics.com/pcw/news/182721 The California Energy Commission's new rules will ripple across North America and affect priorities for HDTV development. Fri, 20 Nov 2009 07:30:00 -0500 http://ecoustics-cnet.com.com/8301-17938_105-10364381-1.html?part=ecoustics-cnet On Count Day, which determines how much state funding Michigan school districts will get, some districts are offering incentives in hopes of netting high attendance rates. Wed, 30 Sep 2009 16:39:00 -0400 http://www.ecoustics.com/dt/news/20816 At this year's CEDIA expo, South Korean electronics giant Samsung has taken the wraps of its new LN65B650, a massive 65-inch LCD television sporting a 120 Hz refresh rate, 4 ms response time, and extensive connectivity options. Screen sizes over 50-inches have long been the realm of plasma sets, and Samsung is taking a chance by pushing LCD technology to that size—particularly since the LN65B650 relies on fluorescent backlighting rather than the currently-vogue LED backlighting for improved contrast and color reproduction. But Samsung thinks there's a market—and is willing to place a $5,999.99 price tag on the LN65B650 to prove it.Read | Permalink | Linking Blogs Thu, 10 Sep 2009 13:45:00 -0400 http://www.ecoustics.com/dt/news/20745 South Korea's LG Electronics has announced that plans to launch a 15-inch AM OLED television next month, taking the wraps off the unit at the upcoming IFA trade show in Berlin, then opening up commercial sales for the unit in Korea in November. The company plans to bring the the unit to overseas markets in 2010…but at this point, no one is mentioning prices, and it's save to say the 15-inch OLED TV won't be cheap.A 15-inch television might not seem like that big a deal in a era where every electronics company (including LG—it's the world's second largest manufacturer of TVS) are pushing 30-, 40, and 50+ inch plasma and LCD displays.Read | Permalink | Linking Blogs Mon, 31 Aug 2009 12:35:00 -0400 http://www.ecoustics.com/dt/news/20558 Although Panasonic promised the capability in March of this year—and brought it to its Plasma Viera Cast TVs back in April—the company announced today that its Viera Cast Blu-ray players can now tap into movies and television shows via Amazon Video On Demand, without the need for additional hardware or gear, so long as the units have access to an in-home broadband connection. The capability is available for Panasonic's DMP-BD60, BD70V, and BD80 Blu-ray players, along with theRead | Permalink | Linking Blogs Tue, 04 Aug 2009 13:00:00 -0400 http://www.ecoustics.com/dt/news/20519 LG Electronics has announced it will be rolling access to Vudu's high-definition streaming movie service into its NetCast line of high-definition LCD and plasma televisions beginning next month—and existing LG Broadband TV owners will also be able to add the Vudu service to their existing sets. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed, but adding Vudu service provides customers purchase and rental access to a significant catalog of high-definition titles in Vudu's HDX format, supporting 1080p resolution and Dolby Digital Plus 5.1 surround sound."Our alliance with Vudu further demonstrates LG's commitment to delivering the ultimate HD viewRead | Permalink | Linking Blogs Wed, 29 Jul 2009 12:15:00 -0400 http://news.ecoustics.com/bbs/messages/10381/582649.html Tue, 28 Jul 2009 16:10:00 -0400 http://www.ecoustics.com/pcw/news/168556 As the ranks of plasma TV manufacturers dwindle, prices for plasma sets continue to drop and the technology's long-term future looks increasingly bleak. Thu, 16 Jul 2009 17:00:00 -0400 http://www.ecoustics.com/dt/news/20396 Video rental firm Blockbuster might have been late to get into mail-order rentals and online streaming, but the company is certainly trying to give rival Netflix a run for its money: Blockbuster and Samsung have announced that new Samsung HDTVs, home theater systems, and Blu-ray players will be able to access Blockbuster's OnDemand video library via the Internet. Products supporting the service will launch in the fall of 2009 (we're assuming northern hemisphere, here). Owners of selected Samsung Seris 650 LCD and plasma TVs as well as Series 7000 LCD HDTVs and above will be able to get the service via a firmware upgrade; some existing Blu-ray player and home theater systems will also be upgradabRead | Permalink | Linking Blogs Tue, 14 Jul 2009 11:45:00 -0400 http://ecoustics-cnet.com.com/8301-11128_3-10246546-54.html?part=ecoustics-cnet The trash-hauling giant creates a joint venture called S4 Energy Solutions to build plasma gasification systems that convert separated industrial wastes into electricity and liquid fuels. Thu, 21 May 2009 14:30:22 -0400 http://news.ecoustics.com/bbs/messages/10381/569525.html Wed, 20 May 2009 00:09:00 -0400 http://news.ecoustics.com/bbs/messages/10381/566614.html Fri, 01 May 2009 04:44:00 -0400 http://www.ecoustics.com/pcw/news/163954 Demand for plasma displays is down nearly 22 percent as LCD screens become more popular, according to market research firm DisplaySearch. Tue, 28 Apr 2009 08:00:00 -0400 http://www.ecoustics.com/pcw/news/159500 Another nail in the coffin for plasma TVs comes from HDTV maker Vizio which announced Thursday it has stopped making plasma TVs and will focus on LCD sets instead. Thu, 12 Feb 2009 18:17:00 -0500 http://www.ecoustics.com/dt/news/19216 Almost a year after rumors first surfaced that Pioneer was ready to pull the plug on plasma, the company has finally confirmed that it’s true. On Thursday, the company announced that it would kill of its struggling plasma TV business, and skim its global workforce by 10,000 workers as well.Why abandon ship on perhaps the most universally well-reviewed televisions in the business? Profits. Pioneer has forecast a loss of $1.4 billion for the fiscal year ending March 31, with its display business bleeding the most red ink.Read | Permalink | Linking Blogs Thu, 12 Feb 2009 12:20:00 -0500 http://news.ecoustics.com/bbs/messages/10381/550794.html Thu, 12 Feb 2009 08:20:00 -0500 http://ecoustics-cnet.com.com/8301-1001_3-10161978-92.html?part=ecoustics-cnet In 2008, the number of LCD TVs shipped was lower than the year before. Plasma reaps some of the benefit. Thu, 12 Feb 2009 08:00:00 -0500 http://ecoustics-cnet.com.com/8301-17938_105-10161650-1.html?part=ecoustics-cnet The company that made its name as a low-cost LCD TV maker will return to making only LCD sets. Wed, 11 Feb 2009 15:14:00 -0500 http://news.ecoustics.com/bbs/messages/10381/543700.html Wed, 14 Jan 2009 20:48:00 -0500 http://news.ecoustics.com/bbs/messages/10381/543518.html Wed, 14 Jan 2009 04:50:00 -0500 http://www.ecoustics.com/pcw/news/156769 AT&T Cruisecast, due this spring, will deliver 22 channels of satellite TV to screens in your car. But be prepared to pay plasma TV prices for the hardware alone. Fri, 09 Jan 2009 05:40:00 -0500 http://www.ecoustics.com/dt/news/18868 While TV manufacturers love to brag about the refresh rates, resolution and contrast ratios on their LCD and plasma panels, it’s not often that you hear them huffing and puffing about the video processing units within all the slick new sets. Toshiba broke that mold on Wednesday by making the grandiose announcement that it would be using the Cell microprocessor in future TVs, but having seen it in person, I now see why the processing guts of a TV set are such a low-key aspect of it. You just don’t notice what it does very much.The main use Toshiba sees fRead | Permalink | Linking Blogs Thu, 08 Jan 2009 21:45:00 -0500 http://www.ecoustics.com/pcw/news/156637 The new Samsung Luxia category of TVs focuses on visual experience, energy efficiency and slim design. Wed, 07 Jan 2009 23:30:00 -0500 http://www.ecoustics.com/pcw/news/156628 Owners of new and recent Panasonic HDTVs will soon be able to stream movies rented from Amazon.com. Plus, Panasonic pushes 3D HDTV and its green initiatives, and shows the skinniest plasma to date. Wed, 07 Jan 2009 22:06:00 -0500 http://www.ecoustics.com/dt/news/18837 Though we’re still skeptical that slimmer is better in an economy in which being able to afford any type of flat screen is an increasing rarity, the paper-thin TVs continue to spill forth at this year’s show. The latest, and admittedly most impressive, looks a little familiar, though. Panasonic’s hot new Z1 plasma looks uncannily like that ultra-thin Pioneer plasma that debuted last year, and given the companies’ new relationship, we wouldn’t be surprised if there were quiteRead | Permalink | Linking Blogs Wed, 07 Jan 2009 22:00:00 -0500