While Plasma and Rear Projection sale prices remained generally stable, LCD prices have been falling in October, especially the larger sized models.

LCD TV models are now being advertised at the same price points as PDP TV models in the 42-inch segment, and both technologies have narrowed the price gap with RPTV models of similar size, according to PMA (Pacific Media Assoc) Vice President Rosemary Abowd. The aggressive pricing in all three segments may make it difficult for retailers to cut prices further as we lead up to Black Friday and head into the holiday buying season, Abowd said.

“The biggest advertised price movements in October were for larger LCD TVs. In the 40-to 42-inch category, advertised prices continued to challenge 42-inch HD (high definition) PDP technology. An Olevia-branded 42-inch model appeared at J&R for US$2,299, and Best Buy offered a 40-inch JVC LCD TV for US$2,999, down US$500 from September.

Prices for Sharp LCD TVs declined across-the-board, with its 26-inch model offered at US$1,199 (Circuit City, CompUSA); 32-inch model falling several hundred dollars to around US$1,500 at several retailers; and 37-inch model priced at US$1,999 (6th Avenue Electronics), which is US$800 lower than the September advertised prices.

In the 26- and 27-inch LCD segment, models from Maxent (US$688 at 6th Avenue Electronics), ViewSonic (US$750 at CompUSA), Westinghouse (US$800 at Best Buy & The Great Indoors) and Syntax (US$800 at CompUSA) mirrored September’s prices and remained several hundred dollars below similar-sized top-brand models.”

News Source

In the big screen LCD sector, the competition is heating up. Both Samsung and LG-Philips are moving ahead of schedule for mass production of 40, 42, 46 and 47 inch LCD HDTV models.

Look for this battle to be one by who is first in with consumers.

Market watchers say LG-Philips and Samsung advanced their schedule for the new factories in a bid to seize control of the large-LCD market segment. LG-Philips focuses on manufacturing 42-inch and 47-inch LCDs, Samsung on 40-inch and 46-inch LCDs.

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The Onkyo TX-SR603X replaces the TX-SR602 and not only adds more power, but also only requires an antenna for XM satellite radio, and offers direct connection the the Onkyo DS-A1 ipod dock charger.

This is a 7.1 channel receiver even comes with a microphone for automatic adjustment of channel levels and delays.

This line has proven itself worth of home theater applications, HTdude approved!

If you come across a review of this receiver, please let me know.

Ultimate AV News

I found a news article about this Sony Home Theater PC today. This thing looks bloody smashing, as my buds across the pond might say.

This two-piece gem mainly consists of computer and 200 disc CD & DVD changer.

The PC has a Intel Pentium D 820 (2.8GHz) processor, 200 gig Hard Drive, 512 meg memory (upgradeable to 2gig), and GeForce 6200 with 64mb graphics card.

It has HDMI, DVI-D, component, and s-video output.

It handles CD burning (no DVD burning) and PVR functions. Unfortunately, only 1 SD tuner for this box. What!?! I can’t believe they left out HD tuning.

It can keep “track” of DVD cast lists, movie info and CD track information. All via your internet connection.

This looks like a good, all-around HTPC, but it lacks some HD and other technology.

If it had dual HD-tuners (watch one, record the other), a DVD burner, and a top of the line graphics card, it would be a great package. However, that would bump the price much higher as well.

If you don’t want to have PVR functions for HD broadcasts, don’t need to burn DVDs and don’t play the latest PC games, this could be the Home Theater Computer for ya.

News Source

Both plasma and front projection HDTV sales have hit record highs for the third quarter of 2005. The hd movement is picking up even more steam. I knew the rest of the world would start to come around.

Plasma display panels - 1.9 million units shipped in Q3:

Traditional seasonal strength — along with plasma TV street pricing below sweet spot levels — has boosted plasma panel shipments to a record 1.9M units in Q3′05, reports DisplaySearch. That’s an increase of 37 percent over the previous quarter, and a 118 percent increase year on year.

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Front Projectors - 1.1 million units shipped in Q3:

Pacific Media Associates (PMA), the global leader in value-added demand-side market information on large-screen displays, announced that combined professional and consumer front projector sell-in shipments during Q3 ‘05 reached 1,069,000, representing 20% year/year growth and besting the previous quarterly high set in Q4 ‘04.

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Syntax showcasing its latest Olieva LCD TVs at the Electronic House Expo Show, gets the LT42HVI 42 inch model in the finals for Multi-Room Audio/Video Awards. I’m not exactly sure how prestigious this is, but it sure sounds impressive eh?

Syntax’s Olevia LCD TVs are designed to deliver a total quality digital entertainment experience and are manufactured with the same high quality panels, video processing chipsets and other key components that are used in Tier One branded products. Olevia LCD TVs yield a two-fold value proposition for consumers — superior performance and affordable prices with an industry-leading “on-site” warranty.

(Read - we just as good as Sony!)

Source

Toshiba just made an interesting move with the HD-DVD format. They seem to have a healthy fear of losing the format war, as they have now opened up the manufacturing of HD-DVD drives to Chinese manufacturers.

This effectively drives the costs of manufacturing the units, and speeds the units to market. Toshiba is giving up some revenue by not handling this themselves.

This is an interesting move indeed. Toshiba wants to get a head start and get the momentum rolling before Sony has time to catch up.

I think I’ll pull up a ringside seat…

In the high-stakes battle with Sony over whose format will power the next generation of DVD players, Toshiba has adopted a potentially perilous strategy: encouraging low-cost Chinese competitors to crank out machines using its standard, known as HD DVD.

Toshiba’s push on HD DVD
Via HDBeat

Another step in convergence, you can now pick shows to record on your TiVo from Yahoo’s website.

What you need:
A valid Yahoo! account. (free)
A valid TiVo user account.
A TiVo Series2 recorder.
Broadband Internet Connection (Dialup works but with a 36 hour delay - unuseable!)

The dialup lag doesn’t make sense to me, but this is new. Maybe we should be understanding?

Additional “content sharing” due later between these two: Traffic, weather and user photos.

ZDNet

Today, Philips introducted the next Ambilight style technology, dubbed amBX. This new tech does more than just glow different colors alongside your flat panel HDTV.

Incorporating a scripting language, software engine and architecture, amBX has been designed to deliver all-new player experiences through enabled devices such as LED colour-controlled lights, active furniture, fans, heaters, audio and video, which are all placed in the user’s room. amBX goes even further to provide the support framework for peripheral manufacturers to develop these enabled products, empowering both developers and publishers to amBX-enable and enhance their games. In the future, game players may even be able to author and share their own personal amBX experiences online.

(Ambilight is currently available in sets like this one:

They give these examples:

“Imagine the room of the future, where all electronic devices are amBX-enabled. The treacherous road to Saigon will turn your room jungle green, swimming with dolphins will splash it deep blue, ‘Halo’ jumps will turn your fans on full, lightning storms will strobe your white lighting, and attack ships on fire off the shoulder of Orion will blast on your heaters. ”

Sounds cool, but will the developers put the compatibility into games? That’s the rub, which depends on the market penetration. They almost never support a new tech unless the gamers have it already.

I’ve never been sold on ambilight myself, because it just can’t compete with an 8′ plus front projector screen. Couple that with surround sound and solid subwoofers, and I have never seen the need for additional ambient light. However, controlling my HVAC, ceiling fan, lights in the room, etc could be rather immersive. Only time will tell if this tech will take hold, and I’m not holding my breath just yet…

Press Release

[via engadget]

This study conducted in conjunction with Nielsen Entertainment Research showed Home Theater growth as being up to 33% of U.S. households at the end of 2004.

Interesting stat, I wonder what that’ll be like at the end of this year. The growth rate seems to be increasing exponentially.

Supporting the conclusions of the Nielsen Entertainment study, separate published reports by the Consumer Electronics Association estimate that by the end of 2004, 33% of U.S. households owned a home theater system, up from 21% at the end of 1999. Adding to the ownership levels, in an online survey of 2000 adults ages 18 to 65 across the U.S., Nielsen Entertainment determined that a full 75% of current home theater households have true 5.1-channel or greater surround sound installed, indicating the importance of sound to the home entertainment experience.

Source