If you’re living in New York City or you happen to be passing through NYC this month, make sure to drop by the Grand Central Terminal to check out the new Sharp AQUOS Experience. The Experience, located on the bridge between the main concourse and Vanderbilt Hall, stands 26 feet high and consists of 43 Sharp AQUOS LCD TVs in a variety of sizes ranging from 19 inches to 52 inches.
As part of the Sharp AQUOS Experience, Sharp will be making a donation to the HOPE Program - “a charity that equips its participants with the skills they need to find, keep, and advance in jobs. With Sharp’s donation, The HOPE Program will be able to launch the “Green Collar Project,” a new program to help people find green collar jobs in an environmental field. This will not only allow participants to become economically self sufficient, but will also help preserve the environment.”
Two kiosks flank the AQUOS Experience where consumers can enter a sweepstakes to win one of the 43 TVs from the tower. In addition, Sharp will donate $1 to the HOPE program for every individual who enters the sweepstakes – up to $100,000 total donation and a minimum of $50,000.
Let’s hope security is tight around those displays!
Technorati Tags: Sharp, AQUOS Experience, The HOPE Program, Grand Central Terminal
Written by flung on December 1st, 2008 with comments disabled.
Read more articles on AQUOS Experience and Grand Central Terminal and HDTV and LCD Televisions and Sharp and The HOPE Program.
When first announced back in September, the Sony VAIO LV-series was described as a High-Definition PC/TV. That blurring of distinctions between computer and entertainment gives a good idea of how the company envisages their all-in-one slotting into your lifestyle; a relatively rare HMDI input, allowing external sources to use the LV as a 1080p-capable display, helps single the system out even further. Are TV tuners, Blu-ray and Dolby Digital surround sound enough to let the VAIO LV replace your current HDTV?
The specs set the LV off to a good start, with up to a 3.16GHz Intel Core Duo E8500 processor, 4GB of RAM and 1TB of 7,200rpm SATA storage available. Graphics are courtesy of up to an NVIDIA GeForce 9300M GS video card with 256MB of memory, and all but the base model has a Blu-ray drive, with the top-end LV supporting both Blu-ray playback and burning. Crowing glory, however, is the 24-inch widescreen XBRITE-HiColor display, running at 1920 x 1200 full 1080p High-Definition.
Connectivity includes gigabit Ethernet, WiFi b/g/n, Bluetooth with A2DP, five USB 2.0 ports, S-Video, iLink Firewire, HMDI input, S/PDIF and headphone outputs, A/V and line/microphone
inputs. There are also dual NTSC/ATSC TV tuners, with two RF aerial inputs. Sony includes not only a low-profile wireless keyboard and mouse, but also a remote control. On the LV itself there are a small number of controls: separate PC and Display on/off buttons, HDMI source selection, volume, wireless on/off, keyboard/mouse connect and webcam angle adjust control. The webcam is mounted above the display and 1.3-megapixel resolution; it supports software face tracking and has an integrated microphone.
OS is one flavor or another of Windows Vista - Home Premium on the lower-end models, Ultimate on the higher-end - all with Media Center support. That means pausing and recording live TV, including over-the-air HD channels, and scheduled recordings, all through a lounge-friendly GUI that also gives access to music and online content. As well as that, Sony add their usual array of VAIO apps - here including the “Click to Disc Editor”, “Movie Story”, “MusicBox”, “Media plus streaming” and more - together with trials of Microsoft Office 2007 and OneCare. Happily the bloatware for which the company had become known for has been dramatically reduced.
While the LV would make a perfectly pleasing desktop PC - with 24-inches of high-resolution screen ample for just about any application you could think of - it’s true home is in front of your sofa. The integrated dual 5.5W stereo speakers do a passable job, but for best results we’d recommend hooking up a full surround system. Do that, and the LV comes into its own: the XBRITE display is a typical Sony triumph, with deep blacks, minimal motion smear and crisp, bright colors. Vista comes in for plenty of (often justified) criticism, but its Media Center functionality is straightforward and intuitive to use. The Sony remote manages to be both comprehensive but not overwhelming, and the keyboard (which feels a little plasticy) has an integrated trackpad for surfing the web from your lap.
Plug another video source, such as a PS3; into the LV’s HDMI input and instead of a Vista PC you’re now looking at a high-definition display. Copyright reasons mean Sony won’t allow you to use both the PC and the HDMI input at the same time, so you have to switch between them, but all the aspects that made the VAIO such a good PC monitor make it an equally good standalone screen. We can’t help but be disappointed by the inability to have, say, a PS3 window onscreen at the same time as a Word document, though.
Sony has obviously used some of their HDTV knowledge with the LV’s physical design. Unlike many all-in-one PCs, the power supply is integrated; go for wireless networking, stick with the integrated speakers and the cordless peripherals and you’ve got a one-cable system. A standard VESA mounting plate means suspending the LV on the wall or, even, on a poseable arm is straightforward, and with the slot-load optical drive hidden on the right-hand side you could easily mistake it for a standard TV. Overall, we’re fans both of the LV-series design and its construction: plastics and other materials used in the main unit are of high quality.
So could you - should you - replace your HDTV with the VAIO LV? A lot of it will come down to room size: 24-inches is big for a monitor, but small for an HDTV. The same display that looks impressive on your desk or, even better, mounted on the wall in your study, looks overwhelmed on a TV stand in all but the smallest of rooms. Yes, you can connect to a bigger screen, but that then leaves you with two high-definition options in close proximity, which seems a bit like overkill.
On the other hand, keeping the LV-series PC as a bedroom set - where the size might be more typical - is a tremendous waste of a very capable computer. No, the VAIO LV makes most sense in a den or games room, serving duty both as your everyday PC and, when the workday is done, the display for some impromptu gaming.
As for the price, there’s another argument. While the range starts at $1,699.99, that gets you a mere 320GB of storage and a DVD burner; the former will quickly fill if you use the Media Center functionality, while the latter doesn’t do justice to the LV’s screen. Instead, you’re looking at $1,899.99 for the 500GB model with Blu-ray player or, if you’re serious about high-def media editing, $2,799.99 for the 1TB version with Blu-ray burner. That’s a whole lot of money, and it would buy you a decent standalone PC and an HDTV certainly larger than 24-inches.
That said, we’ve still a soft spot for the Sony VAIO LV-series. It’s undoubtedly well designed, well constructed and well specified, and if space is an issue but 1080p a must then it’s well worth considering. Mainstream users will likely find they get more for their money - including more interconnecting cables - if they spread it out to separate components, but those who pick the LV are unlikely to be disappointed.
Related: Sony Vaio RT Review - Top Tier All-in-One Multimedia PC
Unboxing Sony VAIO LV
Click here to view the embedded video.
Relevant Entries on SlashGear
Written by Vincent Nguyen on November 28th, 2008 with comments disabled.
Read more articles on Feature and HDTV and Media Center PC and Review and SlashGear Reviews and Sony and VAIO and Windows and blu ray and pc.
Today is one of the busiest shopping days of the year with holiday shoppers flocking to stores and malls for good deals. Despite the poor economy, electronics are still expected to sell well this holiday season and Vizio has announced some of the deals on its HDTVs for today.
Vizio is one of the top shippers of TVs in America. Costco will be offering a 19-inch VA19 LCD HDTV for $199.99 with a coupon through 12-7. At Walmart the 32-inch VP322 plasma HDTV, (the set credited with bringing plasma bask by many research firms) will retail for $437.
A 37-inch VW37 LCD HDTV at Costco retails for $499.99 Friday through Sunday. Those wanting full 1080p resolution can get the 32-inch VOJ32LF for $599.99 at Sears through Sunday or the 42-inch VS420 from Sam’s Club for $698.
Vizio
Written by Shane McGlaun on November 28th, 2008 with comments disabled.
Read more articles on Black Friday and HDTV and Vizio.
Black Friday weekend appears to be a great time to pick up a new VIZIO HDTV set. The company announced price cuts on select models for the coming weekend at various retailers – here’s what you need to know:
[Check it out]
Technorati Tags: VIZIO price cuts, HDTV, Black Friday
Written by flung on November 26th, 2008 with comments disabled.
Read more articles on Black Friday and Deals and HDTV and LCD Televisions and Sales and VIZIO price cuts and Vizio.
If you’re like me, then you’ve probably stared at a couple of VIZIO HDTV sets at your local Costco storefront – wondering.. just how good (or bad) are these inexpensive panels anyhow? The one that I’ve been particularly interested in recently was the SV420XVT model which features a 120Hz refresh rate AND sells for only $999.99. Yes there are other 1080p 42 inch panels out there that go for less – but not necessarily one with 120Hz refresh rates. Well the folks at PC Magazine have published a review of the unit here on their website, and it doesn’t look too bad at all. Before I get into the verdict, here are the major specs to the Vizio SV420XVT:
- 42 inch panel
- Integrated NTSC/ATSC/QAM tuner
- 5 ms response time
- 500cd/m2 brightness
- 6500:1 contrast ratio
- 178 degree viewing angle
- 4 HDMI inputs with HDCP
- 2 Component, 2 Composite, 1 S-Video, 1 RGB
- SRS TruSurroundXT – three built-in speakers
All that for $999.99 at your local Costco.. sooo what did PC Mag think?
Despite some occasional visual quirks, the Vizio SV420XVT delivers high-performance LCD technology at an amazing price.
Hmm.. maybe something to consider for the holidays?
[Check it out]
Technorati Tags: Vizio SV420XVT, PC Magazine, Review
Written by flung on November 12th, 2008 with no comments.
Read more articles on HDTV and LCD Televisions and LCD displays and PC Magazine and Review and Vizio and Vizio SV420XVT.
Dish Network have confirmed that their DTVPal DVR will be available to pre-order from next week, with deliveries of the personal video recorder beginning in December. The unit includes an Over The Air (OTA) analog and digital TV tuner with an unspecified recording capacity and 720p/1080i outputs.
While the DTVPal PVR includes both USB and ethernet connections, they won’t initially be in use. Rather than sourcing program guides from online, the PVR will access OTA data. Both analog and digital content can be paused, recorded, reversed and more.
Of course, what will attract most people is the absence of a subscription fee; like Freeview PVRs in Europe, the Dish Networks box will cost only as much as its initial purchase price. Even that’s subject to some sweetening: a $50 rebate on the $300 sticker price for early buyers.
[via Dave Zatz]
Relevant Entries on SlashGear
Written by Chris Davies on November 12th, 2008 with no comments.
Read more articles on Dish Network and HDTV and High Definition and PVR and archive and dvr and mediaplayer.
You can now enjoy your full entertainment with this all-in-one system. Here’s a brand new product from Silicon Mountain, Allio which is actually a 42-inch HDTV (32-inch is also available) combined with built in PC (the Intel Core 2 Duo E8400 CPU, 4GB of RAM, a 1TB hard drive and Windows Vista Home Premium). Other specs including USB ports, wired/wireless networking and of course the Blu-Ray player. Using 12-watt speakers, experience movies like you’ve never had before. Price starts at $1,599. If it’s a bit too much, you can definitely wait for their more “affordable” version soon. [Engadget]
ShareThis
Written by Vie on November 10th, 2008 with no comments.
Read more articles on HDTV and LCD and allio and blu ray player and silicon mountain.
Anybody who’s afraid of the dark would do well to keep out of the way of Pioneer’s Kuro range of HDTVs. Esteemed for their inky black levels, the huge display sizes have so far kept them out of most buyers’ reach. Now, with the advent of the KRL-32V - which, as its name suggests, is a more manageable 32-inches - there’s the possibility of far more Kuro in our everyday lives. CNET UK woke up to find a Pioneer Kuro KRL-32V on their doorstep, so they’ve done the only honorable thing and unboxed it for all to see.
Either they’re ridiculously easy to please or Pioneer have done a great job with this HDTV. The packaging is pleasing and the supplied accessories comprehensive, down to the proper screwdriver Pioneer (or, more accurately, corporate parents Sharp) provide to fix TV to bracket to stand. Setup took all of five minutes to tune in the full breadth of Freeview digital TV channels.
Of course, the proof of the Kuro-pudding is in the eating, and while I don’t expect CNET to actually consume the KRL-32V I’m looking forward to hearing great things about its picture quality and general performance. Unlike its massive brethren the 32V (and the 37-inch KRL-37V) use LCD rather than plasma panels, so it’ll be interesting to hear whether they can live up to the track record. The KRL-32V is priced at around £1,300 ($2,124).
Relevant Entries on SlashGear
Written by Chris Davies on October 31st, 2008 with no comments.
Read more articles on 1080p and HDTV and LCD and archive and pioneer and unboxing.
« Older articles
No newer articles
