LG's high-end passive 3D LED TVs get 240Hz

LG announced two series of LCD TVs with passive 3D technology, including the LW6500 pictured above.

(Credit: LG)

After Vizio, LG is the second TV maker at CES to announce a lineup of TVs equipped with so-called passive 3D compatibility. Passive 3D differs from the active variety found on nearly all current 3D TVs in a number of ways, including the fact that it uses significantly cheaper glasses.

LG is calling the feature "LG Cinema" and putting it in the LW5600 series as well as the step-up LW6500 models described here.

The 6500 series comes in three screen sizes, including a massive 65-inch version reminiscent of the already-shipping 65-inch Vizio XVT3D556SP. It has a 240Hz refresh rate, compared with the 120Hz rate found on the less-expensive 5600 models. We're not sure how the lower Hz will affect 3D performance, but for 2D it doesn't provide much visible benefit.

Aside from the refresh rate and screen size differences, the two series of LG passive 3D TVs are identical according to the company's press release. For more details, check out our full write-up of the LW5600 series.

Pricing and availability were not announced.

LG Infinia LW6500 series features:

• Edge-lit local dimming LED backlight
• Passive 3D compatible
• 4 pairs of 3D glasses included
• 240Hz refresh rate
• Magic Wand remote
• Smart TV with NetCast and Web browser
• Wi-Fi USB dongle included

Samsung Cameras

Samsung today unveiled two new cameras that the company will be showing off at next week's Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas.

First up is the NX11, the company's second mirrorless interchangeable lens camera in the Samsung NX line. The NX11 will come with an 18-55mm i-Function lens introduced with the NX10 last month, as well as two new i-Function lenses, a 20mm pancake and a 20-50mm zoom silver color lens.

The NX11 features a new grip design that is supposed to make shooting easier and more comfortable for users, according to Hyunho Chung, executive vice president and head Samsung's digital imaging.

Additional fine tuning on this camera includes a lens priority mode dial, simplifying the search for the best mode for each lens and a one-touch i-Function button that activates common shooting controls such as aperture, shutter speed, ISO and white balance.

Like its predecessor, the NX11 also shoots 720p video. Hopefully, we'll get a chance to handle this new camera next week at CES 2011.

Ultra Slim 1080p Zoom Camera

Samsung's second preview is an ultra-slim 24X zoom camera that packs professional features into a pocket-sized camera.

The WB700 has a 24mm ultra-wide Schneider Kreuznach lens and a 24X zoom function, which consists of an 18X optical zoom and 1.3X Smart Zoom. Fine detail can be captured with the camera’s 16-megapixel CCD sensor.

Special effect filters are built in such as new soft focus, half-tone dot and cinema alongside traditional filters such as fish-eye, miniature and sketch.

This camera can also record in 720p high definition video.

Samsung at CES 2011

Samsung will host one of the largest displays at CES 2011 along with a press event on Wednesday and a keynote event on Thursday, featuring BK Yoon, president of Samsung Electronics.

In addition to these two new cameras, Samsung is also expected to unveil the Galaxy Player, a would-be iPod Touch competitor and the Galaxy Tab 2 Gloria, its second generation tablet at next week's big event.

Sanyo Xacti CG100 new full HD compact camcorder

Sanyo Full HD camcorder features a new compact Xacti the CG100. Characterized by the vertical form factor (less stable but more compact than horizontal), this camera records video in 1080i (1920 x 1080 pixels) and a double zoom range of 12x.

5x zoom which only part of the optical part, or the ability to zoom without losing image quality going to use the digital zoom. The system will double the range, however, is expected to reduce the loss of quality and switch from wide angle to telephoto with the push of a button.

The rotating display is 2.7 inches and the software allows you to shoot without problems thanks to the many (and by now standard) to the resumption of aid functions such as electronic image stabilization, face detection and pre-set programs including super mode macro to take shots at a distance of 1cm from the subject.

The photos are adjustable even while shooting a video and thanks to the 14-megapixel CMOS sensor 14.4 effective megapixels. Xacti CG100 save photos and video on SD, SDHC or SDXC supports Eye-Fi cards (memory cards with integrated wireless modules that send photos and video to your PC via Wi-Fi), save in the formats MPEG-4 AVC / H.264 and connects to your TV via HDMI port mini.

C9000, the ultimate TV for now

How does one define the word “ultimate”?

Early last month, Samsung Electronics Indonesia asked whether I would be interested in reviewing the company’s “ultimate” 3D LED HDTV, an offer nobody in their right mind would refuse. So, just a couple of days before Christmas I received a huge box containing a huge LED HD TV, a Blu-ray player and a pair of 3D glasses – and my “ultimate Samsung experience” was about to start.

The first time I reviewed such a gigantic LED HDTV was around a year ago. My living room suddenly felt crowded because of the sheer size of the screen. The same happened when Sharp loaned me their 52-inch Quattron LED HDTV for a couple of weeks. Had I been allowed to keep these demo units after my review, I would certainly have run out of space to put them in my house — although I would certainly be a happier couch potato.

Anyway, the LED HD TV Samsung lent me this time (on which I watched the AFF final soccer matches between Indonesia and Malaysia) was its 55-inch C9000. Its overall design reminds me of Bang & Olufson’s TVs. The wide screen has a brushed aluminum bezel. The base is also made of the same material, which is unusual compared to most models available today that come with a transparent plastic bezel.

You want to hang the C9000 on the wall? No problem. The base can be detached and fixed to the rear of the screen. I wouldn’t do it though, as it would add to the thickness of the panel. By the way, Samsung managed to keep the entire screen — except the stand — 7.98 millimeters thin.

Besides, the swivel base has all the ports — unlike the UA55B7000WR I reviewed just one year ago whose ports are difficult to access as they were placed behind the screen. There are plenty of ports at the back of the base of the C9000, and Samsung has thrown in several adaptors and cables in the box too. Make sure you don’t lose them.

A sliding control panel can be found on the front side of the base. Touch it and it will glide out smoothly. It has several touch buttons. By the way, if the Blu-ray player is already connected, the TV will be automatically come on each time the player is turned on.

One ultimately important feature of the C9000 is a touch remote control. Many functions can be controlled by pressing the icons on the screen.

But the jaw dropper is that the remote can also function as a separate TV screen. It has a 3-inch LCD touch screen, which connects to the TV using Wi-Fi instead of Bluetooth or infra-red (except when required). This is a great feature, as it allows us to watch anything while we move around the house, including when we go to that small room each time Nature calls.

This remote control is beautifully crafted like a Samsung smart phone. It comes with a large rechargeable battery and a separate charger. There is also another conventional remote control just in case someone forgets to return the touch screen one back in the living room.

To top it all, the touch remote is also a universal remote control. As if this was not impressive enough, the remote has a headphone jack, so we can watch Blu-ray content without disturbing other people. This is definitely technology that deserves thumbs up.

Now, is the display quality on par with the TV’s external beauty? Without a doubt. I like the color, saturation and uniformity of color from edge to edge. Lucky guests who came to my house also shared my opinion. Clearly Samsung has not overlooked any detail when making this TV as great as possible.

Do not forget that the C9000 is also Samsung’s first 3D LED TV. The HyperReal engine the electronic giant built into this TV works very well, too. In addition, it has the capability to convert 2D content into 3D.

On the audio side, the TV does not disappoint either. The Titanium-looking base contains the speakers that produce a sound powerful enough for the living room, although connecting it to a home theater system will give a sound arena better suited to a 3D visual experience. Samsung uses SRS TheaterSound.

Of course there are a slew of other features, such as the DLNA-based AllShare that lets us share media with other family members on the home network, Internet@TV, BD Wise and Anynet+.

Well, the “ultimate HDTV” also comes at the ultimate price of Rp 69 million. This is perhaps the most expensive LED HDTV in the 55-inch range. So it’s definitely not for everyone. But if you are an official at
the tax office and you have cash to burn, Samsung will add the Blu-ray player and two more pair of 3D glasses to the deal. Otherwise, just hurry to my house — before they come to take it back.

JVC Introduces DLA-VS2100U Visualization Series Projector

JVC Professional Products, a division of JVC U.S.A., today unveiled the DLA-VS2100U D-ILA projector at 2010 FSEMC, an annual conference serving the flight simulation and training industry, in Brighton, U.K. The newest addition to JVC’s Visualization Series, the rugged DLA-VS2100U was specifically developed for simulation environments and other visualization applications.

DLA-VS2100U

The DLA-VS2100U has a new optical engine that uses three D-ILA imagers to deliver 1920×1080 native resolution and 20,000:1 native contrast ratio, which is double the contrast of JVC’s current model, the DLA-VS2000U. The new projector also features a new 220W UHP lamp that delivers 1000 ANSI lumens, an increase in brightness that will provide greater brightness headroom in larger or low-efficiency systems as well as a lower cost of ownership.

“In the simulation world, the brightness of a projector is regularly measured to meet FAA regulations,” explained Gary Klasmeier, product engineering manager, D-ILA Systems, JVC Professional Products. “If brightness drops beyond a certain point, the lamp has to be replaced. With almost twice the brightness of our previous projector, the DLA-VS2100U will deliver more lumens longer, which will reduce lamp replacements and save operational costs.”

A key new feature is an anti-smear reduction mode, which reduces image smearing during fast-motion scenes through frame insertion or black frame insertion without sacrificing light output. In addition, a new color management system enables users to match color primaries to other projectors. The DLA-VS2100U is also more compatible with software genlock synchronization used in some simulation environments, and it offers Ethernet connectivity, in addition to RS-232, for network-based monitoring and projector control.

With two HDMI and a VGA input, the DLA-VS2100U supports 1080p/60 and 1080p/50 video formats. Horizontal and vertical lens shift provide installation flexibility, and a rugged chassis and optional fixed offset lens mount makes the unit ideal for motion-based applications.

The DLA-VS2100U ships with a 1.4-2.8:1 zoom lens The projector is also available without a lens (DLA-VS2100NL), allowing the use of our optional 1:1 and 1.2:1 fixed lenses. The new projector will be available in February, 2011.

Panasonic HDC-TM10 Digital Camcorder

Panasonic’s top-of-the-range HD camcorders, such as the HDC-HS300 and HDC-HS200 are our rush current at the end of the market premium. But the company’s lower-end HD models like the HDC-SD20 and HDC-HS20 we were not sure quite so strongly. Now we have the HDC-TM10, which (despite the model name) is actually a newer model than the SD20 and HS20 generation.

Considering that the HDC-HS20 and SD20 resembled smaller versions of the higher end Panasonic camcorders, the TM10 uses a rather different, relying mostly on money rather than black plastic, which some might find less chic than the previous generation. However, the most basic features are the same. The sensor is a CMOS 1/6in identical to 1.47 megapixels, and the lens of a Leica Dicomar with 2.95-47.2mm focal length 16x optical zoom. However, the filter diameter was reduced from 43mm to 30.5 mm as the camcorder is quite a bit smaller, weighing 278g instead of 321G.

The microphone is returned to the stereo rather than 5.1 surround sound channels available on the table SD20 and HS20. On the positive side, the optical image stabilizer Advanced now has an active mode, which we met with the HDC-TM350. This softens the movement of the camera even more effective than the basic setting, and is intended if you use the device while walking or transit. We found active mode generally competent, although he does seem to cause a slight reduction in image quality, which is probably why Panasonic has maintained the original settings available.

Being a model TM, TM10 comes with flash memory onboard. In this case, you get 8 GB, which is sufficient for an hour of the movie quality mode, but you can use the SD card slot to add more. Panasonic also offers its 17Mbits/sec data rate higher than the Canon and JVC 24Mbits/sec now meet their latest models. The first three quality settings for recording Full HD 1920 x 1080, but in substance it uses mode 1440 x 1080, like HDV, and you can take three hours of images in the memory provided. You can also take still images of 2.1 megapixels, which is equivalent to the standard HD resolution of 1,920 x 1,080.

Sony ICD-UX300F 4 GB Digital Voice Recorder

The huge 4 GB flash memory within the ICD-UX300F digital voice recorder can store over 1000 hours of audio mode (in LP): more than enough for the equivalent of one month’s non-stop voice recordings. And this is only the beginning. With all that storage space and a handy integrated USB connector, the little Sony UX200 and UX300F are also a great way to store, preserve and transfer PC files while you’re away.

If you need entertainment while you’re away, you can also listen to your favorite tunes on the built-in MP3 player, or via the integrated speakerphone or using the supplied in-ear earphones. Excellent voice quality digital recordings are captured in stereo as MP3 files. A function switchable noise reduction and low-cut filter to reduce annoying background noise, ensuring maximum intelligibility. The new digital voice recorder allows playback voice via the built-in speaker on what is equally clear. 21-step digital speed control makes reading easier to hear exactly what was said without distortion when you transcribe the conference, seminar or interview.

The extra-long battery life allows you to keep talking – and listening – for longer without running out of power. With an alkaline battery, recording time extends to 15 hours (LP mode), while extending the reading 83 hours massive – more than enough to hear this series of lecture notes. Records Management is extremely practical, thanks to the generosity of size LCD easy to read 5 line display. With the new Sony Digital Voice Recorder records can be sorted into five message folders, making it easy to find the right file when you have a lot of different notes or interviews to watch. For convenience, records can be managed and edited with Divide / Erase / select and move to an office file.

Simple drag and drop file support, it is quick and easy to transfer voice recordings, computer files and music directly on your computer. The recorder slide-out ‘USB connector is protected by a sliding lid handy, so there is no danger of losing direction while you are traveling. The Sony ICD-UX200 (2GB) is available in a choice of black, silver finish, pink and red. The Sony ICD-UX300 (4GB) is available in black or red. Available in black, the Sony ICD-UX300F (4GB) also incorporates an FM tuner, allowing you to listen to your favorite radio shows while you’re away.