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OK, so what's new in the
world of 1080p, you ask?
LG has launched
the world's first lineup of THX certified 1080p LED LCD televisions, their LH90 Series. If you had been shopping for a
1080p THX display last year, you would have been limited to LG
and Panasonic plasmas.
Sharp and Toshiba
have joined LG, Samsung, and Sony in offering higher contrast,
more energy efficient LED LCD TVs, although they are
120Hz instead of 240Hz.
New sizes
When it comes to 120Hz 1080p LCD TVs, two notable new screen sizes are
now available. Sony has added a 65 inch LCD HDTV and Sharp has added a 60 inch LCD high definition television.
Want it BIG?
If you don't mind a bulkier rear projection TV, Mitsubishi is now offering two 82 inch 1080p 120Hz DLP
televisions in addition to smaller 73 inch, 65 inch, and 60 inch diagonal screen sizes.
Want it BIGGER? If you want a screen size even larger than 82
inches, and you've been dreaming and scheming about transforming your dungeon into a dark dedicated home theater room, you will be happy to know that there are 1080p front projectors available for under two grand. The very cheapest 1080p projector will cost just a grand!
Want it SMALL? Until recently, you were mostly limited to 32 inch diagonal screen sizes and above if you wanted a Full HD 1920 x 1080
display (or you had to settle for 720p), but now there are extremely affordable 1080p LCD HDTVs as small as 22 inches.
Cut the cord! LG now offers the LH85 Series of LCDs and Panasonic has their
ultra-thin Z1 plasma which are both "wireless" -- the only wire running from the back of the screen is for AC power. All A/V
connections are made to a separate media box that communicates
wirelessly with the screen. |
1080p sources
Of course, a Blu-ray Disc Player and Blu-ray discs are the
best way to take full advantage of the 1920 x 1080 pixel
resolution of a 1080p high definition display. Many newer Blu-ray
Disc Players can also stream Internet videos and/or movies on
demand (although most of it is not 1080p) if you run
Ethernet cable from your home network to the back of the Blu-ray
disc player. If you've got blazing-fast broadband, VUDU offers
streaming 1080p VOD movies.
Sony PlayStation
3 features a Blu-ray/DVD/CD player, and of course will let you
play PS3 games. Microsoft's Xbox 360 can also do 1080p gaming,
but lacks Blu-ray playback capability. (Microsoft opted instead to support HD DVD, which is now a discontinued format.)
Panasonic offers a Blu-ray Disc/VHS combo that will let you enjoy your old videotape collection. OPPO offers a "universal"
Blu-ray Disc Player that can also play SACD and DVD-Audio, two niche audiophile music disc formats.
Dish Network and DIRECTV both offer some 1080p high definition TV programming. Even 1080i television programs from an HDTV antenna looks magnificent on a 1080p TV!
Home theater
High definition is every bit as much about better sound quality
as it is about having a great picture. To unlock the audio
potential, you will need to connect each of your source
components and your 1080p HDTV or projector to a separate
surround sound audio system.
Be sure to leave enough room in your budget to buy the HDMI, audio/video, speaker cables, and surge protection
that you'll need to properly connect it all. You'll only get Full HD 1920 x 1080 high definition
video and digital 7.1 or 5.1 surround sound audio by connecting it all with the right cables!
No space for
surround sound? Mitsubishi is offering 52 inch and 46 inch
Unisen Immersive Sound 1080p 120Hz LCD HDTVs, their 153 Series,
with integrated 5.1 virtual surround sound audio system, so you
won't need to purchase and set up a separate home theater audio system. |
