PC Mag took a look at this 37 inch lcd unit, that sells for less than $1600.00. (See below for best deals)

“The 37-inch Westinghouse LVM-37w1 ($2,299 list) LCD TV has caught the attention of many display enthusiasts by offering native 1080p (1,920 by 1,080 pixels) resolution at a street price of under $2,000. And its two-megapixel resolution unleashes the detail of high-definition TV and PC content…

Pros
Dual DVI inputs. 1080p resolution. Good default color and image quality using DVI input.

Cons
No advanced color controls. Poor deinterlacer performance. Mediocre video-noise reduction and artifact suppression.

Bottom Line
The Westinghouse LVM-37w1 is an inexpensive 37-inch LCD TV that offers native 1080p resolution. This no-frills display shows impressive image detail when using either of its dual DVI inputs, but its treatment of analog video is less impressive. ”

PC Magazine
Via HD Beat

This new unit from Panasonic can record HD onto Secure Digital media or on a PCMCIA card in MPEG4 format.

It has a touch-screen option, where infra-red tech tracks your movement, effectively giving you one mondo touchscreen. (Why, I must ask.)

This set should be available under 8 grand.

Nothing like the mondo bling…

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.

Source

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.

Source

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

HtGuys take a quick look at this Plasma display from Dell. Though Dell calls this unit “HD”, it is not. Clearly. The resolution of 1024 x 768 does not meet the minimum requirement of HD quality. And I’m almost tired of pointing that out, it is all too common for manufacturers to make this claim. Pah!!

Anyway, here are the findings:

What we liked:
Clear Detailed Picture
Accurate Color Representation
Wide Viewing Angle
More Connections than you will ever need
Great Shipping/Setup Experience

What we Disliked:
Slight Buzzing Sound coming from the TV (this issue has been acknowledged and addressed by Dell .. )
Out of box settings provide poor picture
Some Blacks not true (Only Ara saw this)

Conclusion:

Overall we were very impressed with the Dell 4200 Plasma TV. The picture was sharp and clear (once we calibrated the TV). Colors were bright and vivid. There are more inputs than you will ever need and the TV includes a built in HD tuner.

HT Guys Review

This 37″ plasma from Panasonic gets an Editors’ Choice rating with a score of 7.8/10.

At a resolution of 1024×720, it is not a true HD unit, but looks like a great display considering.

The good: Accurate color decoder with no red push; solid video processing with 2:3 pull-down; excellent black-level performance; independent memory per input; numerous picture adjustments; customizable inputs.

The bad: Limited connectivity options; basic and industrial in its design; no tuner included; no aspect-ratio control for HD sources; floats black.

The bottom line: Despite limited features and connectivity, the Panasonic TH-37PHD8UK is one of the best small-screen plasmas on the market today in terms of picture quality.

Source - Cnet

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]

I just found another review of the Panasonic TH-42PX50U. PC mag gives it a 3.5 out of 5.0, citing these:

Pros
Good color quality right out of the box. Appealing style. Well-designed remote control.

Cons
Only one digital video input. Non-removable speaker. Limited image-scaling options. Lacks advanced color controls. No picture-in-picture options.

and the Bottom Line
The Panasonic TH-42PX50U is a capable entry-level plasma television that provides impressive imagery when displaying DVD video, but it lacks the resolution required to show the finer details of HDTV.

Again, at 1024 x 768, this unit is not true HD. It supports input resolutions of 480i, 480p, 720p, 1080i but cannot display the minimum of 720p natively, to be true HD.

That doesn’t mean it’s a bad set, just need to state da troof. Yo, review editors! If it ain’t HD, don’t call it HD. (thanks)


Here’s another, more recent review of the TH-42px50U
Panasonic TH-42PX50U review by PC Magazine

Cnet reviewed this little number that would be a great choice for a kitchen, bedroom or other space-challenged area.

Rating 7.0/10

The good: Solid 2:3 pull-down video processing; adequate aspect-ratio control; decent jack pack for a 20-inch TV, including computer input.

The bad: More expensive than budget models; poor black-level performance; nondefeatable edge enhancement.

The bottom line: This Sharp LC-20B8U has the right combination of size and performance to serve up TV and even HDTV in your kitchen or bedroom.

Though it is true HD at 1024 x 768, the res should be fine on this 20 inch size screen. A good casual use unit.

Sharp LC-20B8U Review

Fujitsu toda announced its Holiday Savings Consumer Rebate Promotion, offering customers cash incentives to purchase the company’s two most popular Plasmavision 40-series plasma displays. One of them is HD (the 50″, the other is 1024×1024 - buyer beware.)

The Holiday Savings program runs from November 1 through December 31, 2005, offering $500 cash back on the Plasmavision P42HHA40US (MSRP: $4,999) and a $1,000 rebate on the P50XHA40US (MSRP: $6,999).

All purchases must be made from authorized dealers to qualify for the promotion.

You internet deal buying cheapskates (like me) hear that? No Joe from-around-da-corner with one in his trunk - only AUTHORIZED dealer sales.

For more info see http://www.plasmavision.com.

Press Release