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LED TVs

LED TVs 4K Ultra HD

HDTV Expert - Two Words for InfoComm: LED and 4K

InfoComm 2013 showcased a rapid evolution in LED display technology, with pixel pitches reaching as low as 2.5mm and roadmaps targeting 1.0mm, a threshold that could make LED panels competitive with LCDs in large-scale applications. Sharp made a notable announcement with the immediate commercial availability of its 4Kx2K 32-inch professional monitor featuring an IGZO backplane, priced at $5,859 MSRP and targeting high-detail workflows such as financial trading and CAD-CAM. For display professionals, these developments signal a market shifting decisively toward higher pixel density and Ultra HD across both LED signage and flat-panel categories.

Ken Werner •
Columns
Home Theater Buying Guides Plasma TVs

HDTV and Home Theater Podcast - Podcast #584: Plasma vs LED

Plasma TVs deliver superior black levels, contrast ratios, and color saturation compared to LED LCD displays, with edge-lit LED panels frequently exhibiting backlight uniformity defects such as clouding, halo, and flashlight effects that are absent in plasma panels. Plasma's per-pixel brightness and hue control produces richer, more saturated color that mid-tier plasma sets match against higher-cost LED competitors, while In-Plane Switching (IPS) LEDs improve viewing angles only at the cost of contrast. For buyers prioritizing picture quality in a controlled-light environment under 65 inches, plasma remains the stronger value proposition despite its weight and image retention considerations.

The HT Guys •
Podcasts
Projection HD LED TVs Laser TVs

HDTV Expert - Lamp? What Lamp?

Lamp-free projection technology is emerging as a competitive response to large-format LCD displays, with manufacturers at Integrated Systems Europe 2013 showcasing LED and laser-based projectors ranging from 500 lumens to over 60,000 lumens for digital cinema. Sony debuted the first 3LCD laser imaging system, while Christie Digital demonstrated a 60,000-plus lumen laser DLP Cinema projector during a GI JOE: RETALIATION screening, and LED-only designs currently top out at 1,100 lumens with laser/LED hybrids bridging up to 4,000 lumens. For end users, lamp-free designs promise 15,000 to 20,000 hours of essentially maintenance-free operation with instant on/off capability, directly addressing the key advantages that large LCD panels hold over conventional projectors.

Pete Putman •
Columns
Projection HD LED TVs Laser TVs

HDTV Expert - ISE 2013: Oh, It's ON! - Pete Putman

At ISE 2013, Sony unveiled a prototype 3LCD laser projector rated at 4000 lumens with 1920x1200 (WUXGA) resolution, marking the first publicly demonstrated 3LCD design to use a 100% laser light engine. Mitsubishi countered with three LaserVue DLP models featuring hybrid red LED and blue laser diode illumination, promising 20,000 to 30,000 hours of rated lamp-free operation. These lampless projectors are a direct response to the growing commercial adoption of large-format LCD displays from 70 to 95 inches, which undercut projector installations on cost, maintenance, and ambient light performance.

Pete Putman •
Columns
LED TVs

Sharp Introduces New Series of Ultra-Large LED Displays for the Large-Format Digital Signage Market

Sharp's new PN-R Series professional LED displays target indoor digital signage in 60", 70", and 90" class formats, with the flagship PN-R903 delivering a 1,000,000:1 contrast ratio via full-array LED backlighting with Local Dimming Technology and 700 cd/m2 brightness across all models. The 90" PN-R903 stands 6'8" tall in portrait orientation, making it capable of replacing a 2x2 46" panel video wall with significantly reduced wiring and calibration demands. Connectivity includes DisplayPort and an interface expansion board, while edge-lit variants suit LEED-compliant installations requiring lower energy consumption.

Shane Sturgeon •
Bulletins
LED TVs

HDTV Expert - Sony Introduces OLED-like Color without OLEDs - by Ken Werner

Sony's Triluminos display technology, unveiled at CES without prior leaks, uses a quantum-dot backlight unit developed by QD Vision that employs a polymer prism strip with blue LEDs to produce narrow spectral emissions for red, green, and blue, dramatically expanding color gamut beyond what conventional white LED backlights achieve. QD Vision's approach differs from competitor Nanosys by keeping quantum dots in a high-heat-tolerant prism element positioned close to the LED strip, reducing material usage at the cost of modified BLU assembly. The result is an OLED-like color appearance on LCD panels, with Sony already pairing the technology with 4K resolution screens.

Pete Putman •
Columns
OLED TVs Events & Trade Shows 4K Ultra HD

HDTV Expert - CES 2013: From Hype to Ho-Hum in Minutes - by Pete Putman

CES 2013 showcased a flood of 4K Ultra HD TVs from virtually every major brand, with Chinese manufacturers like Hisense, TCL, and Haier matching Japanese and Korean rivals across panel sizes from 50 to 110 inches - all sourcing LCD glass from China Star Optoelectronics, a TCL-Samsung joint venture. IGZO semiconductor technology emerged as a key differentiator for Sharp, promising lower power consumption and faster pixel switching, while LG and Samsung debuted curved 55-inch OLED panels still unavailable for purchase. The practical takeaway is that rapid commoditization of 4K displays, driven by Chinese manufacturing scale, points toward significant price drops across all screen sizes by late 2013.

Pete Putman •
Columns
LED TVs

NEC Display Solutions Introduces LED-Backlit Commercial-Grade LCD Displays to V Series

NEC Display Solutions has expanded its commercial-grade V Series with the 55-inch V552 and 65-inch V652 LED-backlit LCD displays, both featuring 1920x1080 full HD resolution, 4000:1 contrast ratio, and built-in 10-watt speakers. The Open Pluggable Specification (OPS)-compliant expansion slot allows internal routing of video, RS-232 control, and power to connected accessories, eliminating external cabling. TileMatrix support for video walls up to 10x10 and optional single board computer bundles make these displays a practical fit for retail, corporate, and digital signage deployments.

Shane Sturgeon •
Bulletins
LED TVs Smart TVs 4K Ultra HD

Toshiba Unveils 2013 TV Line-Up And PCS At Consumer Electronics Show

Toshiba's 2013 CES lineup centers on its L9300 Series 4K UltraHD LED TVs, powered by the CEVO 4K Quad+Dual Core Processor and available in 58-, 65-, and 84-inch class sizes, delivering four times the resolution of 1080p with built-in UltraHD upscaling and 2D-to-3D conversion. Premium LED models across the L7350, L7300, and L4300 Series add Cloud TV functionality with Intel WiDi and Miracast wireless display support. Consumers evaluating a connected home upgrade will find a broad range of screen sizes and price points, complemented by new Ultrabook convertibles and All-in-One PCs scheduled to ship from February 2013.

Shane Sturgeon •
Bulletins
Brace Yourself: Sharp® Unveils Bigger, More Beautiful AQUOS® LED TV Lineup at CES 2013
LED TVs Smart TVs

Brace Yourself: Sharp® Unveils Bigger, More Beautiful AQUOS® LED TV Lineup at CES 2013

Sharp's 2013 AQUOS LED TV lineup, announced at CES, spans nearly twenty models in 60", 70", and 80" screen classes, headlined by the 90" world's largest LED TV at 141 pounds and under 5 inches deep. The new 8-Series introduces Quattron four-subpixel color technology delivering over one billion colors alongside a Super Bright panel rated 50 percent higher in brightness, while all three series include a dual-core smart TV platform with built-in Wi-Fi and HTML5 browsing. Buyers gain a broad range of large-screen options with active 3D, Bluetooth glasses, and Yamaha-powered 35W audio across multiple price tiers.

Shane Sturgeon •
Bulletins
Smart TVs LED TVs LCD TVs

Panasonic Unveils Stunning Design Innovations And Cutting-Edge Features On VIERA® 2013 LED/LCD Models

Panasonic's 2013 VIERA LED/LCD lineup spans seven series from the flagship WT60 to the entry-level B6, with the top-tier models featuring 4200 BLS backlight scanning technology, IPS panels with 178-degree wide viewing angles, and 1080p resolution across most configurations. The WT60 and DT60 series add a Dual Core Hexa Processing Engine, three HDMI ports, and Voice Interaction via a Touch Pad Controller, while all Smart VIERA models support Swipe and Share 2.0 for seamless Android and iOS content transfer. New high-efficiency LED panels reduce power consumption by up to 15 percent and carry Energy Star 6.0 certification, making the lineup a practical upgrade for both picture quality and energy savings.

Shane Sturgeon •
Bulletins
Market Trends & Analysis LCD TVs LED TVs

HDTV Expert - TV Shipments to Fall 1.4% in 2012 - by Ken Werner

NPD DisplaySearch forecasts global TV shipments will decline 1.4% to 245M units in 2012, while LCD-TV shipments grow 5% to 216M units as average LCD-TV selling prices fall a slower 4% compared to 6% in 2011. LED-backlit LCD-TVs are projected to reach 69% share of LCD shipments, up from 45% in 2011, driven by low-cost direct-LED models, and screens 50 inches or larger will hit 7.7% of shipments. Consumers weighing a TV upgrade will find larger screens and LED-lit models increasingly accessible, though 3D adoption and OLED remain limited factors for now.

Pete Putman •
Columns
LCD TVs LED TVs

HDTV Almanac - Sharp Ships 90″ LCD HDTV

The Sharp LC-90LE745U is a 90-inch LCD HDTV featuring a full-matrix white LED backlight with selective dimming for enhanced dynamic contrast, weighing 141 pounds and rated at just 138 watts during operation - less than many 52-inch models. Priced at approximately $10,000, it supports 3DTV with active glasses and Smart TV functionality, but notably omits Sharp's four-color Quattron pixel technology. The set anchors Sharp's strategic pivot to focus exclusively on LCD panels 60 inches and larger, leveraging its unique Gen 10 LCD fab for more efficient large-panel production.

Alfred Poor •
Columns
Does Your LCD Image Look the Same from an Angled View? (Part 3) - How the 3M Solution Applies to Your LCD
LCD TVs LED TVs

Does Your LCD Image Look the Same from an Angled View? (Part 3) - How the 3M Solution Applies to Your LCD

3M's optical film system, combining Light Distribution Films and a Reflective Polarizer (DBEF/APF families), addresses the longstanding LCD viewing angle limitation by recycling off-axis polarized light to broaden the output cone beyond the standard collimated beam. In a Q&A with 3M's Dr. David Lamb, key findings include an estimated 60-degree effective viewing angle improvement (120 degrees left-to-right) and a per-panel film cost on the order of $10, with potential system savings from reduced LED count or lower drive power. Consumers considering LCD sets should note that this technology is already deployed in high-end locally dimmed panels from major brands, though cross-talk effects on dynamic contrast ratio remain unquantified.

Rodolfo La Maestra •
Articles
LED TVs LCD TVs

HDTV Almanac - What Is a "Direct LED" TV?

Direct LED TVs use cheaper, standard-brightness LEDs arranged behind the LCD panel rather than the high-brightness LEDs and precision light guides found in edge-lit designs, resulting in a thicker but more affordable set. Unlike edge-lit models, direct LED backlights enable localized dimming for improved dynamic contrast, though brightness may fall short of edge-lit counterparts. NPD DisplaySearch projected direct LED sets to capture over 10% of the 250-million-unit worldwide TV market in 2012, making them a cost-driven alternative worth evaluating against real-world performance trade-offs.

Alfred Poor •
Columns