The lamp pumps out 600 lumens, allowing for deep blacks and excellent color concentrations in a dark room. And the beastly housing you see is only a prototype—when it comes to market in late 2009, you'll see a much sleeker case at 57% of the concept's volume. No price announced yet, but this is surely one of those "if you have to ask..." situations. [CEDIA 2008]

This beast offers 150 hours of HD recording, plus it's THX certified; it's always been a technicality, since the HD doesn't have it but had the same AV quality as the TiVo Series 3. The XL also has the same dual-tuner HD recording as the previous models, plus all the same expanded non-TV features: photos, YouTube, Amazon Unbox, Rhapsody and Music Choice, the music video service. The only downside to all this increased storage is that the box costs $600, the same price as the TiVo Series 3 after the first price cut; but it does come with a Series 3 backlit remote.

The Install: Super easy. Comcast was great about getting a guy down to our house that was experienced with CableCARD installs, and the installer (who shall remain nameless) did an excellent job getting the card in and active. It's pretty much exactly the same as the TiVo HD in terms of the install, and provided your local cable provider has them, one M-Card is enough to get both tuners working. Otherwise you'll need two standard ones. Great job to both Comcast on TiVo on this part.

The Experience: For those of you who are familiar with TiVo, the XL is the same user experience you're familiar with in previous HD models. Not much UI change here except for the fact that you're going to be scrolling through a lot more shows saved up on your big drive.

The Verdict: Very good. We extend our recommendation of the TiVo HD easily to the beefier TiVo HD XL, which despite the 2x price point, still offers a great DVR experience for the money.

The Recommendation: If you had to pick between the TiVo HD and TiVo HD XL, what would we recommend? It depends on your watching habits. If you can make do with only having 20 hours of HD sitting on your machine at once, because you clear out shows shortly after watching or you just don't have all that many shows to record, the regular HD is fine. If you're like Brian Lam and hoard shows like they were being cancelled the next week, or like Mark Wilson, who records and saves every show with the word "dance" or "dancing" in the title (he claims it's for his wife), we'd recommend the XL.

On the other hand, you could also get a TiVo HD and expand the storage by purchasing a compatible external eSATA drive and just plugging it in, which increases the storage by 65 HD hours with a 500GB drive. See more details here. The plug-and-play eSATA port only supports up to 500GB, but you can hack it to support up to 1TB if you really wanted to. Or, if even the TiVo HD XL isn't enough, you can shove another 65-hour drive on there. [TiVo Store]

Other Kevin Rose predictions such as a "trippy" visualization with "planet like objects" and downloadable TV shows in HD haven't been confirmed, nor have previous rumors of an iTunes subscription service. But that differently-shaped iPod nano seems to be a lock. [MacRumors]

The TV was shown at IFA recently, where it garnered a good chunk of interest.

And its price? Allegedly $130,000. One hundred and thirty thousand smackeroos. That's almost as much as the 150-inch Panasonic plasma TV, and this one is, what, 37-inches? And that's absolutely stark, raving bonkers. [Aving via Luxury Launches]

The Good: First, the fact that its back is completely flat, so it can be hung flush on a wall, like a painting. Second, that it includes a single cable to connect to your base unit, which is a nice 13.1-foot long, good enough to make an "no-cables-hanging" installation. And third, that the included 2 x 15W sound bar can be easily detached from the unit, just in case you want to use your own home theater system (like you should).

The Bad: It still requires you to prepare your wall for installation.

Bottom Line: great image quality, three HDMI 1.3a+ connections, DLNA-enabled, all wrapped into a good design. We don't know if it's going to reach the US yet, but if it does, it's seems like a good one for those who want an almost invisible TV hanging on their wall. [More IFA 2008 Coverage]

The good: Ultra-smooth video action, with no apparent loss of quality and artifacts.

The bad: While the effect is great and obvious when compared side-by-side to the 100Hz alternative, I don't know if it's worth it. I may not care about this frame-per-second overload.

Bottom line: Good news for the obsessed with video ultra-smoothness and tech specs.

Best-ever Full HD motion clarity with the world’s first Motionflow 200Hz BRAVIA - the Z4500

Using sophisticated algorithms, the Motionflow 200Hz system employed by the Z4500 calculates three additional frames for every original, upping the frame rate from 50 to 200 per second. The result is smoothest and clearest motion reproduction to be achieved by an LCD TV. A complementary image enhancement technology called IB Reduction (Image Blur Reduction) boosts the sharpness of the final picture by improving the original, frame by frame, before it is processed by Motionflow 200Hz. Whether allowing you to see the detail of a panning shot exactly as the Director intended or viewing the ultimate in smooth motion clarity for sports like football, the 200Hz Motionflow BRAVIA sets new standards in image quality and enjoyment.

The underlying superiority of the BRAVIA Z4500’s picture is attributable to the centrepiece of BRAVIA quality: the BRAVIA Engine 2. This new version of the acclaimed Sony signal processor uses proprietary technology to improve every aspect of the image, frame by frame, in real time. BRAVIA Engine 2 is even better at reproducing realistic black, depicting objects with impressively lifelike depth and detail, removing blemishes or ‘noise’ from the picture, and delivering that trademark vibrant BRAVIA colour. Contrast is also essential to a quality picture, and a very high screen dynamic contrast ratio of 80,000:1 leverages the work of the BRAVIA Engine 2 to the full.

BRAVIA is a brand with its eyes firmly on the future, and it creates products that are ready to take advantage of emerging trends. This is why the BRAVIA Z4500 is DLNA™ Certified (Digital Living Network Alliance), allowing it to be seamlessly networked with other DLNA™ Certified devices within the home, such as VAIO® PCs and the Giga Juke™ music server. Once connected in this way the BRAVIA Z4500 can be used to enjoy digital pictures and music stored on a PC somewhere else in the house.

The good: they managed to get to this thickness thanks to a new LED lighting technology that is not behind the actual LCD, but on the four corners. Using some optical device, the powerful light from the corners gets distributed evenly through the whole screen. I couldn't appreciate any uneven lighting.

The bad: probably the price. On first hands on, however, I have no complaints. This feels like a true object of desire with anyone with the pockets to buy it.

Bottom line: Sony's really got a winner here, even while I imagine the price would be as out of this world as the TV itself. While last year we saw some comparable ultra-thin prototypes from the likes of Sharp, those are not going to be available until 2010. The thing that sets the Sony ZX1 is the fact that it's a real product that anyone with a big badass credit card could buy.

Update: According to IT Wire, the price of the Sony KDL-40ZX1 would be $4,500.

Obviously, that means you could easily tuck it into a groove or run it right along a wall without creating an eyesore. Plus, you don't have to worry about the hassle of tearing up your walls. The only problem is that sending your high definition video, audio, and control signals simultaneously over one of these "transparent" cables is going to set you back a hefty $600 for the FO2800 TV kit and $800 for the FO2850 PC kit. [OWLink via Electronic House]

Gawker Media polls require Javascript; if you're viewing this in an RSS reader, click through to view in your Javascript-enabled web browser.

The best way, usually, would be through the NBC Olympics site, which has decent quality for streamed video, even though it suffers its share of quirks. But they've decided to be jerkfaces and only show swimming on the tube:
To see other events live without a faux tape delay, the first time you go to the site, you've gotta give it an East Code zip code and cable provider, like 10003 (NYC) and Time Warner Cable. Then it'll think you're on the East Coast and give you the goods live. If you punch in a West Coast zip, you'll get hit with the three-hour delay. If you've already messed up, clear out your browser's private data, then try again. And our guide to the byzantine site will probably help you navigate it.

The best option for Phelps is to use a proxy server to make the BBC or CBC think you're in the UK and Canada, and watch their live streams, which offer pretty good coverage generally. Silicon Alley Insider recommends Xroxy for its list of open proxies broken down by countries. Then you've gotta configure your browser, detailed here. If you find one that works (which might take a couple tries), verify you've actually teleported here. Remember kids, someone else owns the server you're running through, so don't put in passwords or credit card info while you're connected to the proxy. And be persistent!

Another option, also from Alley Insider, though the video isn't that good, is Alriyadiah saudi Sport TV, which shows video on about a 10-minute delay. But you don't get to choose your event, so cross your fingers.

If you've got other ideas or tricks, let 'em loose in the comments. Maybe next year NBC will have its shit together. Oh, and go Team USA! [Silicon Alley Insider]

Update: Funai also took over the Phlips TV brand in the US, which means you might be seeing this under their name as well.

Viewing Experience
The Silverlight-based player runs well—even on a Mac—but its interface has a few rough spots. When it comes to content, there is no comparison—the web player will stream 2,200 hours of live video, where for most sports, only glorified clip roundups will appear on the actual TV. Quality is a different story, as you'd expect. The streamed video is blurry no matter what size you watch it in, even though its at 720x480—a far cry from full HD your TV can get. Also, while it's understandable that NBC wouldn't provide announcers on their streaming player for a North Korea vs. Nigeria soccer game, they don't have announcers for any USA sports online, even big ones like basketball. Watching games without commentary can be painful, believe me. One more complaint: PowerPC Mac users are left out of the experience altogether, as Silverlight only supports Intel machines. [Thanks, downbythetracks!] Advantage: HDTV - Watch as much as you can on TV itself, but be aware of the delays.

Finding Content
When it comes to searching for live broadcasts, neither the streaming player nor HDTV are helpful at all. The TiVo guide says which sports will be shown, but doesn't say if they are tape-delayed. To find that out, you'll have to sort through NBC's schedule, which displays "(LIVE ET/CT)" next to anything broadcast in real time. And sorry West-Coasters; you're totally SOL when it comes to live HDTV—everything is shown for you on a 3-hour tape delay.Then again, seeing the streaming player for the first time may tempt you to bust out the Rosetta Stone. It's actually three players in one, starting with the standard player which is stuffed with ads, tabs, lists, menus and more. For this one, you're best off browsing by channel (#1 in the pic up top), clicking the sport you're interested in and seeing what videos are offered. A button in the corner of the video section (#2) directs you to the enhanced player, which is the best way to watch—it's got a bigger video screen and is so frill- and distraction-free even Frank Costanza would approve.

In the enhanced player, you can watch highlights (#3) and live content with picture-in-picture (#4), and swap between the two seamlessly. You can't search for content in the enhanced player, so you must find it elsewhere and switch over. Finally, a button on the left (#5) takes you to the "Live Video Control Room" which offers the most hyped way to watch the sports you crave—four-channel multi-casting. Advantage: Streaming player - It's very convoluted, but you can't argue with the amount of content on demand.
The Multi-Cast Experience
Gambling junkies and cubicle drones alike will love the streaming player's multi-cast, which allows you to watch up to four events at once. For people trying to actually enjoy sports, the largest video is still too small to see a score, and the other three are barely the size of postage stamps. Swapping between games is easy, but if you expand one to the full-sized player, you lose your other streams, and have to to add them all over again when you return to the multi-cast. Also, sifting through content is unbearable; you can scroll through six videos at a time, but there are almost 200 up there right now, and there's almost two weeks of competition left. Furthermore, you really need to make sure what you're watching is actually live—even though the player looks like it is telling you what's live, the schedule sometimes contradicts this.

HDTV has a multi-cast of its own, and it's called "jumping from event to event." Kudos to NBC's Olympic editors—they seem to have an uncanny idea of when I get sick of gymnastics and want to switch over to volleyball. It's not perfect, but it's effortless and they do a good job with it. Advantage: Even - The streaming multi-cast is great in theory, but execution is pretty weak, though the ability to pick what you want to watch trumps HDTV.

Live Action
Figuring out what is live on TV is harder than figuring out what is live online. You generally have to read the fine print of NBC's listings to find out what TV programs will be aired live. Helpful hint: If it doesn't say live, then it's probably not live. However, one advantage to HDTV is that you may have access to dedicated live basketball and soccer channels, depending on where you live. I just saw it for myself, and it's not airing anything right now, but I have 12 hours of basketball to wake up to tomorrow and I haven't been this excited in weeks.

You can sign up for alerts of both online and TV events via text message or email. Those alerts don't tell you which TV event is live. (On the flipside, alerts for online broadcast are mostly live, because otherwise they would already be available on demand.) The system sadly won't allow you to set a repeating event by team or sport, but if there are games you MUST see—like USA and Spain basketball for me—this is the safest way to make sure you catch it all.

As seen with the USA-China basketball debacle, NBC has no business delaying broadcasts for Pacific time. Thanks to the internet, this old broadcasting habit looks increasingly lame. After all, even those of us without the dedicated HD channels have TiVos and alarm clocks, right? Those who were shut out are not totally out of luck though—if you tell the online service that you have an East Coast cable carrier, it will stream broadcasts in real time to you at the appropriate Eastern Time. (If you are confused, just remember to say your zip code is 10001, and your carrier is Time Warner Cable.) Advantage: Streaming player - In some cases, the only way half the country can see things live is through the online system.

The Final Word
NBC's done a fair job with their streaming player and satisfied years of pent-up frustration by serving such an unprecedented amount of Olympic coverage. But by trying to make things easier, the network seems to have made our lives harder. Diehards of weird sports like fencing or those who need their content more live than Bill O'Reilly can get something from online that they could never get from the tube. But the quality isn't great and using it feels obtuse.

On the other hand, HDTV looks great and has announcers, which is crucial despite its lack of coverage and antiquated tape delay. While the streaming player is a revolutionary leap forward in terms of content, I can't help feeling that it isn't 100% ready for these Olympics, and that the games are still built around your TV set. To get the most complete experience you need to use both, but if you have a DVR and don't mind delay then stick to your HDTV as much as possible. [NBC Olympics]

By now you may already be an Olympic-level Olympics home viewer yourself. If you have any tips, tricks or usage scenarios that make watching the Olympics more easy or fun, by all means share them with us in comments.

Starting August 1, the recent blockbuster "I Am Legend" starring Will Smith will be available in Blu-ray™ disc quality 1080p resolution, only on DISH Network's VOD service, DISH On Demand, at a discounted price.

Yes. Dish Network is actually promising I Am Legend in "Blu-ray™ disc quality 1080p resolution" over Video on Demand. Presumably streamed in real time, it would be a technological feat even if not part of normal programming. And while we bet Dish will make the image look as good as possible under the pressure to show off, whether or not it's truly as stunning as a Blu-ray disc or meets some minimum 1080p prerequisite is yet to be seen.

In other news, Dish Network is soldiering on with their promise of 150 HD channels by the end of the year, and tomorrow will add 17 must-see HDTV channels including Lifetime Movie Network HD and Starz Edge HD. Read the presser for all the details. [Dish]

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. – July 31, 2008 – DISH Network Corporation (NASDAQ: DISH) today set the bar for the next-generation HD standard by becoming the first in the pay-TV industry to offer high definition programming in 1080p, the highest and best HD resolution available.

This new functionality is part of DISH Network's latest and unprecedented expansion in HD services, which includes the rollout of TurboHD, the industry's first 100 percent, all-HD suite of programming packages. As previously announced, DISH Network will also launch 17 more national HD channels tomorrow, surpassing its goal of reaching 100 national HD channels five months ahead of schedule. DISH Network now plans to nearly double its national HD channel count in less than one year and offer up to 150 national HD channels by the end of 2008, made possible by the recent launch of Echo XI, the most powerful satellite in the company's fleet.

"Over the years, DISH Network has maintained a very competitive HD offering in the marketplace, providing customers with a premium HD product including the best technology, signal and experience – at the best value – that no other pay-TV provider can come close to matching," said Charlie Ergen, Chairman, CEO and President of DISH Network. "Our latest system upgrade coupled with the introduction of TurboHD further strengthens our position as the leader in digital television and high definition television, platforms we look forward to enhancing even more with mobile and portable options."

DISH Network's new HD services are supported by a proprietary "turbo-charged" system upgrade that, starting August 1, is being rolled out to all MPEG-4 HD and HD DVR receivers. The upgrade activates a unique feature of the set-top boxes, improving the current standard of HD delivery used by pay-TV providers such as the ability to output 1080p programming. By early August, all DISH Network customers with MPEG-4 HD and HD DVR receivers will have the only set-top boxes in the nation enabled to display 1080p content, allowing them to maximize the full potential of their 1080p-compatible HDTV sets.

To celebrate this new era in the HD viewing experience, DISH Network is offering subscribers a special deal in August to enjoy the unparalleled picture and sound of 1080p HD programming. Starting August 1, the recent blockbuster "I Am Legend" starring Will Smith will be available in Blu-ray™ disc quality 1080p resolution, only on DISH Network's VOD service, DISH On Demand, at a discounted price. Subscribers may order the movie on DISH Network Channel 501. This marks the first time in history a pay-TV provider offers movies in 1080p, the highest resolution format available for HD video enthusiasts.

Consumers can sign up for the best HD programming and service in the industry with DISH Network's new TurboHD programming packages, the only all-HD packages on the market, starting at $24.99 per month. TurboHD is available in three separate tiers and includes DISH Network's award-winning and industry-leading HD technology, advanced equipment enabled to display 1080p programming, and the most-watched HD channels that may be viewed on any TV – analog, digital or HD.

Current DISH Network customers with MPEG-4 HD and HD DVR receivers are being automatically upgraded and will have their systems "turbo-charged" by early August with all the features and benefits of TurboHD. DISH Network customers looking to add the industry's best HD experience can get a "turbo-charged" HD package for as little as $10 more per month.

The latest national HD channels added to DISH Network's programming line-up are: ActionMax HD (DISH Network Ch. 313), CBS College Sports HD (Ch. 152), Lifetime HD (Ch. 108), Lifetime Movie Network HD (Ch. 109), Planet Green HD (Ch. 194), Encore HD (Ch. 340), HBO 2 HD (Ch. 301), HBO Comedy HD (Ch. 307), HBO Family HD (Ch. 305), HBO Latino HD (Ch. 309), HBO Signature HD (Ch. 302), HBO West HD (Ch. 303), HBO Zone HD (Ch. 308), Starz Comedy HD (Ch. 354), Starz Edge HD (Ch. 352), Starz Kids & Family HD (Ch. 356), Starz West HD (Ch. 351).

For more information about DISH Network's 1080p programming, new HD channels and TurboHD system and packages, visit www.dishnetwork.com or call 1-800-333-DISH (3474).

The 810's Marvell-designed engine seen above stitches four 1080p scalers together with DVI connections to bump any digital source from 480i to 1080p up to a full 10MP. The projector can pump out a few different aspect ratios: 4:3, 16:9 and using a CinemaScope lens, 2.35:1 anamorphic widescreen that's mostly used in old school films. It's also got a lamp that goes up to Hollywood-reference levels of 4000 lumens and a 10,000:1 contrast ratio which is odd since their $15K projector claims 30,000:1.

Either way, the picture projected by the 810 is pretty unreal. I stuck my nose up to the screen and couldn't see a pixel to save my life, and Meridian says that it will project on a screen up to 25 feet wide without any pixelation. The 810 comes in short, medium, and long-throw packages, as well as a very short throw package for rear-projection. It'll be available in September, if you can afford it. [Meridian]

Panny's player can decode Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD 5.1-channel audio on any 5.1 surround system without a hitch, while the $400 S350 will only do this with HDMI-based receivers (it downconverts the audio otherwise). In addition, the Sony player isn't equipped with BD Live features out of the box—it'll take a software update, not out yet, to bring it up to profile 2.0.

If you're looking for a Blu-ray player in the near future, the HD Guru suggests you should spend the extra Benjamins on the BD50. (Or you know, get a PS3.) Hit the link to read the nitty gritty. [HD Guru]

Some of these new HD offerings include: Showtime Extreme HD, Showtime Showcase HD, Planet Green HD, ABC Family HD, additional DIRECTV HD pay per view channels and an additional 23 Regional Sports Networks. DirecTV is also planning to launch satellite #12 next year, which will push the national HD content to 200 channels. Sure, there are compression issues and those 23 RSNs are all filler, but hey—its better than watching standard crap. [WSJ Marketwatch via Electronic House]

We're assuming you know some of the basics—like that 5.1 audio is five channels of audio positioned at center, front right, front left, back right and back left, and then one subwoofer channel. And that a higher bit rate means more audio data is coming through, which, generally, means it's higher quality and gonna sound better, since you're losing less of the original studio sound.

The building block of digital audio is "pulse code modulation"—an old technology used for CDs and everything since. It can be rendered in several resolutions, from 16-bit stuff on CD to 24-bit on newer DVD and higher-res formats. It can also have varying frequency ranges, typically from 44.1KHz to 96KHz. Without going into more detail, you just need to know that PCM is bulky, and it is this PCM data that both DTS and Dolby work to encode into more manageable files. When audio tracks are decoded in a disc player, they are either sent out analog via multichannel RCA outputs, or they become PCM tracks that any digital receiver can easily interpret.

We're taking you through the major branded audio formats that you'll run into if you're dealing with a home theater, or hell, a Blu-ray player.

First up: Dolby. There are basically three tiers of audio: Dolby TrueHD at the top, then Dolby Digital Plus, then good old Dolby Digital.

Dolby TrueHD is a lossless compression format that is bit-for-bit identical to the studio masters. It can handle a bit rate of up to 18 megabits per second, and support as many as 14 channels of audio, though you're more likely to see it at 7.1. It's actually optional in the Blu-ray spec, but it's supported by the PS3 and most other new Blu-ray players. Some players decode the TrueHD internally, then stream out uncompressed PCM audio through HDMI, while others can send the TrueHD file itself out over HDMI in bitstream for the receiver to decode.

Dolby Digital Plus is the next step down. It still delivers 7.1 audio, but at a max bit rate of 3Mbps. It's a more efficient codec than the original Dolby Digital, and is a mandatory minimum in the Blu-ray 1.1 spec. Dolby Digital Plus can be used for Bonus View picture-in-picture audio tracks on a Blu-ray disc, with the main audio track encoded as TrueHD.

Dolby Digital is the lowest rung, at 5.1 audio channels, running at 448Kbps on DVD (though a richer 640Kbps on Blu-ray, used, again for special features or supplement language tracks).

DTS's offerings follow a similar tiered setup.

DTS-HD Master Audio is at the top. It's a lossless format that is also bit-for-bit identical to the studio master. It supports a bitrate up to 24Mbps (though the average Blu-ray flick's audio is only about 2-3Mbps, with 4-5Mbps spikes) and up to eight channels (like 7.1). (It too, is supported by the PS3.)

DTS High Resolution Audio is below that. It also supports eight channels at a constant bit rate of up to 6Mbps. It's for situations where a studio doesn't want to eat up disc space with a full lossless track (like bonus features or tracks), though DTS told us 95 percent of studios who use DTS use the full HD Master Audio.

DTS Digital Surround is down at the DVD end, with support for 5.1 channels and bandwidth up to 1.5Mbps, though post-2000 DVDs typically keep the track at 768Kbps to save disc space.

You may have heard a few things about Dolby ProLogic II or IIx, or maybe DTS Neo:6. These aren't digital codecs, so much as they are "matrix" programs that take stereo tracks and route it to to the different speakers in a surround system. A vestige from pre-digital days, people used to master stereo tracks deliberately for ProLogic—try watching The Simpsons opening credits through your receiver with ProLogic turned on.

Dolby and DTS also have virtual surround technologies that do the opposite of matrixing: They take 5.1 tracks and perform hocus pocus on them so that they sound surround-y, but play through stereo speakers or headphones. It's more subjective, and has a whole different science to it, so maybe we'll save it for another time.

That, in a nutshell, is what all of those Dolby and DTS logos on the back your Blu-ray player, A/V receiver or movie box means. If you want to know how "golden-eared" audiophiles feel about the highest qualities, and how well they fare against uncompressed PCM, check out this informative piece from Home Entertainment Magazine. As a rule, DTS HD Master Audio or Dolby TrueHD will kick ass, but unless you have a $50,000 sound system, you may not be able to tell the difference between the middle and top tiers anyway.

Something we missed, or you still wanna know? Send any questions about Dolby, DTS, Dubbly, Dobby or anything else to tips@gizmodo.com, with "Giz Explains" in the subject line.

Silicon Optix HQV video engine
HQV Advanced Noise Reduction
HQV evaluates noise over time, on a per-pixel basis
HD De-Interlacing
Converting 1080i interlaced to progressive
SD Scaling to HD
HQV advanced scaling creates 80% of the pixel while
keeping true to the source
FHD – 1920x1080
1200 Nits, 30,000:1 Contrast Ratio, 100,000 hours lifetime
178/178 Viewing Angle
PIP, POP
10 bit color panel and video processing, 24P Input
Rear Video inputs
2 HDMI 1.3
1 VGA with RCA Stereo Audio
2 Component with RCA Stereo Audio
2 Composite with RCA Stereo Audio
Side I/O
2 HDMI 1.3
Read Audio
SPDIF Digital Out –
5.1 for Tuner input
RCA Output
Audio Performance
2x10 Watt
SRS TruSurround HD

[Vizio]

Those prices Vizio quoted are reasonably solid, the company says, though not 100 super-duper percent, as the LCD market is the only thing more volatile than the stock market.

The bigger news, though, is that you'll see features like 120Hz trickle down from the high-end XVT line to the VW-class Wal-Mart sets in roughly 9-12 months. Yes, a year from now, you'll be able to buy a 120Hz Vizio LCD from Wally World, at God only knows how cheap a price. Vizio's competitors on the cheap TV scene really can't keep up.

Here are the updated specs for the XVT line:

Size
47 and 42” FHD LCD
Performance
Smooth Motion V-engine
Motion Estimation
Motion Compensation
Improved Noise Reduction
FHD – 1920x1080
PIP, POP
500 Nits, 5ms response, 6500:1 Contrast
178/178 Viewing Angle
10 Bit Color Depth – 1.07Billion Colors
24P Input Capability
Rear Video inputs
2 HDMI (5.1 Output Capable through SPDIF or Wireless)
1 VGA with RCA Stereo Audio
2 Component with RCA Stereo Audio
2 Composite with RCA Stereo Audio
Side I/O
2 HDMI (5.1 Output Capable through SPDIF or Wireless)
1 component with RCA Stereo Audio
1 Composite with RCA Stereo Audio
Read Audio
SPDIF Digital Out – Tuner input
RCA Output
ID
VIZIO Black Tie
Slim Bezel
Black
Audio Performance
3 Channel (L,C,R) 3x10 Watt
SRS TruSurround XT
5.1 Wireless (2.4GHz) upgradable with Dolby Pro Logic II

[Vizio]

With too much inventory and not enough demand, the HDTV makers are cutting prices yet again to clear out stock. After these guys finish slashing, you can expect other bigwigs like Pioneer, LG and Sony to follow suit. So before you shell out for that sweet new LCD or plasma set, make sure you're not overpaying and check out the chart of everything we know so far. [HD Guru]

*Note: The following are "minimum advertised prices". Street pricing, or what they actually charge in store after sales, etc., is usually much less.

FlyWire is set for October, though those looking for the mildly cheaper in-room option will have to wait until early next year. Both of them are pricier than Monster's $600 wireless HDMI setup, which is also supposed to hit in October (though it cheats a bit by using UWB-over-Coax to nail whole-home streaming). Check out all the specs below to compare for yourself:
[Belkin]

Sony's plans for FED displays are to push them to broadcasting and medical apps first, building slowly, rather than to jump right into the high-stakes plasma/LCD war, where nobody's making money thanks to the very bloody price war. Then it'll inch into the consumer market, first with 60-inch displays (at the level they can be more profitable, obviously). Looks like after plasma vs. LCD, we might have yet another fight on our hands: FED vs. OLED. [Nikkei]

JVC TO OFFER WORLD'S THINNEST TUNER-EQUIPPED LCD TV WITH SLEEK, THIN-BEZEL DESIGN AND REDUCED POWER CONSUMPTION

Technology to be offered in two screen sizes

WAYNE, NJ, June 17, 2008 -Establishing a new benchmark in flat panel TV design, JVC in July will market the world's thinnest LCD TVs with built-in tuners*. The new line of super-slim Full HD TVs also weigh less and consume less power than conventional LCD TVs.

JVC's new slim LCD TVs, part of the company's Procision series, feature a cabinet that across most of its width measures a mere 1.5 inches (39mm) deep, with a maximum depth of just 2.9-inches (74mm) at the panel's center. The design ensures that from nearly any angle, the sets present a super-slim appearance. Complementing the slim design is a thinner bezel, further minimizing the presence of the cabinet.

The new super-slim design will be available in two screen sizes in the U.S., the 42-inch LT-42SL89 and the 46-inch LT-46SL89. Both offer 1920 x 1080p resolution.

The slim design was made possible through the use of a new JVC-developed slim panel backlight unit and power supply substrate, or chassis. The new slim LCD panel backlight unit is 40 percent smaller in depth and bezel width compared to a conventional LCD backlight, measuring just 0.79 inches (20mm) deep and 0.51 inches (13mm) wide. In addition, the unit weighs only 26.4 lbs (12kg) and consumes a mere 145W (see diagram 1).

*with built-in tuners as of January 6, 2008, according to a JVC survey

Efforts to reduce the depth of an LCD panel backlight result in uneven hot spots appearing on the LCD screen surfaces because CCFL light sources are brought closer to the liquid crystal panel (see diagram 2). To overcome this problem, either light-diffusing plates are applied or more CCFL tubes are used. But the former approach can result in lower brightness, while the latter approach can be costly and increases power consumption.

JVC's display engineering team succeeded in developing a new, slimmer backlight unit by optimizing the light-diffusing plates and light-reflection sheets, as well as improving its overall composition. This provided uniform light-diffusion at all the corners and edges without the addition of more CCFL tubes, while maintaining adequate luminance to ensure that the screen always remains bright (see diagrams 3 and 4).

JVC also developed a slimmer yet efficient power-supply substrate and employed a direct-mount configuration for it on the LCD panel backlight unit with a fan-less heat dissipation system to further reduce power consumption.

Both models will be VESA compliant for easy wall mounting, but JVC will also offer its own mounting solution - a wall mount designed to position the slim TV closer to the wall than does a standard mount.

Both sets include a full complement of connections, including three HDMI inputs, two component inputs, one S-Video in and a PC input. Other features include front touch sensor controls, a headphone jack, USB picture viewer and an illuminated universal remote control.

The new JVC super-slim LT-42SL89 and LT-46SL89 will be available in July with approximate retail prices of $1,899.99 and $2,399.99, respectively.

In the end, Sound & Vision found that all three boxes worked well, but the RCA's comfy remote, "On Next" feature and decent audio performance gave it a slight edge. Currently, the box will run you about $50 or $10 after you cash in your voucher—which is chump change compared to what you get with a digital upgrade. However, if you are still hoping for a $40 "freebie" like the EchoStar TR-40, keep in mind that Sound & Vision believes that the EchoStar is a "dicey buy" given the fact that it has no front panel controls. In this case, it still might be a good idea to hold onto that voucher for a little while longer to see what comes available. [Sound & Vision; NOTE: S&V Having Broken Link Issue]

[DVICE]

[Dell]