HD Buzz
What’s the buzz in HD circles today? Which HDTV’s are hot, and what technologies are up and coming?
If you’re interested in these things, here’s a list for you. Based on no scientific basis whatsoever, here’s my list of the hottest products and hottest technologies in HD today. If you think there’s something missing, don’t hesitate to contact me.
Hottest Products
- The Sony KDS-R60XBR1 and KDS-R50XBR1 1080p HDTV’s. These are the 60″ and 50″ rear projection televisions that use Sony’s lauded SXRD technology to produce great imagery. These are the first “affordable” sets to use SXRD, the previous products being the very expensive Qualia 004 and Qualia 006 (and another Qualia 006) products. I’ve showcased these HDTV’s several times already, here are the reviews:
- The second hot product is a projector also by Sony and also based on SXRD. But this one is a front projector and its HDMI input accepts 1080p signals! (More on that later.) It is the Sony VPL-VW100 projector.
- Among the more affordable projectors, the Panasonic PT-AE900U and Sanyo PLV-Z4 3LCD projectors are gaining quite a following.
- Introductory post to the Panasonic PT-AE900U
- Projector Review’s review of the Sanyo PLV-Z4 (also includes a comparative review with the Panasonic PT-AE900U)
- ultimate AV’s Review of the Panasonic PT-AE900U
- Audioholics’ Review of the Panasonic PT-AE900U
- HDTVExpert’s Review of the Sanyo PLV-Z4
- Projector Central’s Reviews of the Panasonic PT-AE900U, Sanyo PLV-Z4 (and a comparative analysis)
- eCoustics’ Review of the Panasonic PT-AE900U and eCoustic’s Review of the Z4
Hottest Technologies
- 1080p. All the SXRD projectors mentioned above, some LCD displays, and many DLP projectors as well, are now supporting 1080p resolution. 1080p is the best that the HDTV standard has to offer. Unfortunately, there are no sources that currently put out 1080p. For that reason, most HDTVs today do not accept 1080p signals as input. Some exceptions are the Sony VPL-VW100 and the HP MD6580n. I’ve heard that the Qualia Sony projectors can be retrofitted with 1080p HDMI inputs. Next year HD DVD, Blu-ray, and the PS3 all debut. And all of those devices should be able to put out 1080p. So if you plan on using 1080p, your choices today are limited.
- HDMI. If you’re buying an HDTV set these days, it better include HDMI. And if you can swing a set whose HDMI input supports 1080p, that’s all for the better.
- Blu-ray. Blu-ray is ascendant. With five of the six major Hollywood studios all supporting the format (outside of Universal), it has more backing than its main rival, HD DVD. Not only does it have better studio support, but more big-name electronics manufacturers are behind the format. And if that’s not enough, next year’s PS3 will come with a Blu-ray drive built in - a Blu-ray Trojan horse into millions of living rooms.
- SED. Surface conduction Electron emitter Displays. I almost forgot this one. It’s a technology that Canon and Toshiba are developing to get CRT-like picture quality in a plasma-like form factor. It uses phosphors, just like a CRT, but has many tiny electron emitters instead of a single large electron gun. The technology is quite promising, though it is subject to burn-in just like a CRT. See my SED/NED Archive for more.
- LED lightsources. At CES 2006 Samsung and TI announced a new kind of light source for DLP displays: coloured LEDs. They obviate the need for colour wheels, and therefore greatly reduce the rainbow effect. Also, LED lightsources are being used in other projectors as well, to great effect. See HDTVexpert’s CES coverage.
