Tag: TV
LG receives Group 2 Freeview Playback certification for LT75 and PT85 Time Machine TV ranges
Last week we reported that Humax has received Group 2 Freeview Playback certification for its DTRs, and now LG has also received certification, for its LCD and plasma Time Machine TV range.
LG claim that it’s the first company to receive such certification – presumably they mean for TVs otherwise Humax may have something to say about it.
Not that we really care who’s first – it simply means that more equipment has attained one of the latest digital TV standards, and so should improve consumers’ Freeview experience.
Study suggests educational DVDs and TV may not be so good for baby after all
A new study from researchers at the University of Washington suggests that using educational TV and DVD, such as the “Baby Einstein” and “Brainy Baby” series, or “Sesame Street”, may not be as beneficial for babies and young children as many hoped.
It’s hardly a crime for parents to let their children watch some TV, and if it’s teaching them something too, so much the better (at least, better than letting them watch Big Brother). Even so, the study suggests that for every hour per day that babies watch these DVDs and videos, they learn six to eight fewer new vocabulary words than babies who hadn’t watched them.
Now, parents being told what’s best for their kids by University boffins often leads to emotions running high. While these studies suggest that children who sit passively in front of TV shows don’t do as well educationally, child-raising is a helluva lot more complicated than that.
Built to last? Panasonic high definition plasma TVs will last at least 42 years
Panasonic has published a lifespan statistic for its “full” high definition (1080p) plasma TVs: on average they’ll last at least 42 years before the brightness of the display degrades to less than 50%.
That’s based on an average 6.5 hours viewing every single day – or 100,000 hours in total.
Even its 720p high definition plasma TVs will last for 60,000 hours (around 25 years).
It’s an interesting statistic to highlight, in a fast-paced, needed-to-be-replaced-last-week technology culture, and though I don’t know the exact statistic for people replacing their TVs is, I bet it’s closer to 5-10 years than 42.
Digital Divide? Over 50% of new TVs sold in UK last year analogue
According to the latest figures from GfK, over half of the 7.5 million TVs sold in the past year were analogue (4.4m).
Though the number of digital TVs sold in the year ending May 2007 had increased almost threefold over the previous year, at just over 3m compared to just over 1m, still more analogue TVs were sold, though the figure had dropped from around 5.6m in 2006 to 4.4m in 2007.
Nick Simon at GfK expressed some concern over the figures. “Unfortunately there were still more than 4 million analogue TVs sold in the last 52 weeks, suggesting that there is still a lot of work required to convert all 25 million plus UK households. This is especially an issue when GfK ConsumerScope research reveals an average of two and a half sets per household.”
Humax first to pass Freeview Playback Group 2 standard for DTRs
Humax has announced that it’s the first digital TV recorder (TV) manufacturer to pass the Freeview Playback Group 2 standard.
In English, that means that its PVR-9200TB and PVR-9200TS models guarantee users the following features:
Series link: Allows viewers to programme the DTR to automatically record every episode of a series
Emirates launch 23inch in-flight TVs
Emirates Airline – you know, the ones who sponsor Arsenal's stadium – have launched 23inch widescreen tellys on their planes. Ok, so that's only in first class but business class passengers get 17inch screens and those in economy 10.6.
It's no wonder the firm has won the best Inflight Entertainment in the World for the past two years. They say the new system provides an authentic home-cinema experience and took three years to develop. They even come with WiFi touchscreen controllers…
Ateca Vision TV furniture with a Gallic flavour
Ateca Vision is challenging “poorly constructed, unimaginative” furniture that’s often used to plonk our LCD and plasma flat screen TVs on, by introducing a range of furniture created by one of France’s leading furniture makers.
The Ateca Monaco comes in black, red, or white, and can handle up to 60 inch screens. It is constructed from toughened glass shelves and wood, with integrated cable management to hide the mass of wires that are a necessity of modern consumer electronics.
It retails for £349.99 (42 inch) or £399.99 (60 inch).
Marks & Spencer unveil their own-brand LCD TVs
Next time you’re in Marks & Spencer to pick up your Greek meze party-pack and some clothing which will probably look better on Erin O’Connor or Myleene Klass than yourself, you could also walk out with a telly under your arm too. Just don’t get it too close to the icecream when in boot of car, it could be dangerous…
CEDIA expo 2007: JVC V-series LCD TVs
Yesterday at CEDIA 2007 I grabbed ahold of JVC’s man of the hour, Steven Carter, to discuss their latest range of TVs, the V-series. With two options (the 42″ model being released in July, for £1,500, and the 47″ model – yes, you read that right, a 47″ LCD telly, those crazy kids at JVC are thinking outside of the box, coming in at £2,000 in August), they’re for those large of lounge and deep of pockets…
European high definition TV is 25 years old this week
Would you believe that, in Europe, high definition TV is officially 25 years old this week?
Between 25-28 June 1982, demonstrations were given to the European Broadcasting Union in Killarney, Ireland, raising awareness of the potential of HDTV to provide a significantly improved viewing experience.
The development of HDTV began in the 1970s with the pioneers at the Japanese Broadcasting Corporation NHK, an Associate Member of the EBU, and the inventors of HDTV. Many individuals and organisations made the first demonstrations of HDTV possible in 1982. There was great help from NHK and CBS, together with the companies Sony, Ikegami, Panasonic, and Hitachi, who made equipment available. Delegates saw HDTV on a 100-inch projection screen with stereo sound, also a new feature. Hitachi and Panasonic provided a 65-inch projection display and 24- and 28-inch monitors. Ikegami provided an HDTV camera, and NHK an HDTV digital video tape recorder.
