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The HDTVs of CES 2012

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If there's one product category that always takes center stage at CES it's televisions, and this year was no different. We saw an incredible variety of products, from stunning OLED displays and 4K prototypes, to new 3D models that could be in your living room later this year. We've collected all of the news and our hands-on impressions, so you can take a look at what's just around the corner — and what might end up becoming your next purchase.

  • Joseph Parish

    Jan 13, 2012

    Joseph Parish

    Vizio will jump on the 4K TV bandwagon, but not this year (hands-on)

    Vizio 4K TV
    Vizio 4K TV

    Vizio doesn't have any 4K TVs yet, but it was showing off an 84-inch prototype showcasing the next resolution bump at CES this week. When we say prototype, we mean not even close to production — you can't see it in the photos, but the TV had a seam down the middle that became noticeable when there was motion across it. It was difficult to judge the quality of the higher resolution because most of the content displayed on it wasn't 4K. The TV doesn't have a name, and it's not remotely close to a price or release date, but Vizio wants the world to know it's moving to 4K.

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  • Nathan Ingraham

    Jan 12, 2012

    Nathan Ingraham

    The best of Samsung's 2012 TV lineup: 75-inch Series 8 LED, 55-inch OLED, and 4K prototype display

    Gallery Photo: Samsung's 2012 TV lineup photos
    Gallery Photo: Samsung's 2012 TV lineup photos

    As per usual, Samsung announced a boatload of TVs during its press conference earlier in the week, so we hit the floor to pull out the highlights. The most stunning display was certainly the 55-inch OLED prototype, which we heard should be on sale by the 2nd half of the year. The viewing angles were superb, the bezel was nearly invisible, and the back was essentially a giant metal mirror — certainly one of the nicest products we've seen this week. As for products shipping sooner, Samsung's Series 8 LED TVs were nearly as impressive as the OLED and support Samsung's smart interactions. They're also even bigger — the screen tops out at 75 inches. The Series 7 and Series 8 TVs also support the new smart evolution upgrade kit, though we still were unable to get a look at the port itself. There was also a prototype of Samsung's 70-inch 4K by 2K ultra high definition display. There's no word on when this might hit the market, but the rest of Samsung's displays (minus the OLED) should hit the market sometime in Q1. To these models and more, check out the gallery below.

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  • Nilay Patel

    Jan 12, 2012

    Nilay Patel

    Sony still working on OLED display tech, developing Crystal LED 'in parallel'

    Gallery Photo: Sony Crystal LED Display prototype pictures from CES 2012
    Gallery Photo: Sony Crystal LED Display prototype pictures from CES 2012

    LG and Samsung are showing off crazy next-gen OLED TV prototypes here at CES, but Sony went another way with its Crystal LED prototype — it's extremely impressive, with nearly 90-degree viewing angles, but it's also prompted a lot of rumors that Sony's abandoning OLED TVs for the consumer market. We asked for clarification and it seems the truth is a little different: Sony says that Crystal LED will be developed in "parallel" to OLED for future consumer and professional applications. We don't know if that definitively means that Sony will put out any future consumer OLED TVs — it hasn't done anything meaningful since it killed the XEL-1 in 2010 — but the door is certainly still open. Here's the full statement:

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  • Jeff Blagdon

    Jan 11, 2012

    Jeff Blagdon

    On the floor at LG: an 84-inch 4K prototype, and the 1mm-bezel LM9600

    lg_84_inch_4k
    lg_84_inch_4k

    The company had the rest of its 2012 lineup laid out, and we also spotted the LM9600, a slim 55-incher with a tiny 1mm bezel. The image only stops 5mm from the edge of the TV, making for a pretty dramatic black bar-less effect, and the panel features LG's Nano LED backlighting, with the LED substrate directly on the panel.The LM9600, as well as the rest of LG's non 84-inch lineup, are slated for release in March or April.

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  • T.C. Sottek

    Jan 11, 2012

    T.C. Sottek

    Samsung Smart TV with 'Smart Interaction' (hands-on video)

    Samsung Smart TV
    Samsung Smart TV

    We just got a chance to check out Samsung's Smart TV tech at CES 2012, and we've got a hands-on video for you. The TV features Samsung's "Smart Interaction" tech, using two unidirectional mics and an integrated webcam for motion and voice control — users can turn the TV on or off, change the volume, activate apps, and search the web. The TV can also identify users with face recognition via the integrated webcam. Be sure to check out our Samsung storystream for more information on their showings at CES 2012.

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  • Bryan Bishop

    Jan 11, 2012

    Bryan Bishop

    Haier Transparent OLED TV hands-on

    Gallery Photo:
    Gallery Photo:

    A 22-inch television may not sound that interesting — but what if you can see right through it? Haier is showing off just such a device here at CES, as part of its "Future Technologies" portfolio of products. As you can tell from the gallery below, this isn't a television aimed at the living room: it packs a resolution of 1680 x 1050 with 8-bit color depth, and it requires an external backlight to render images in any conventional sense. Haier sees it being used in commercial applications, such as strore-front displays and wall installations, and we've heard the company will soon be announcing a 46-inch version as well. While the novelty was certainly intriguing, we have to wonder if the display would excel even in those scenarios — though to be fair, the model we saw was suffering from some image orientation issues. We trust Haier will have time to correct the problems before bringing the product to market, though no timeframe or pricing was available.

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  • Bryan Bishop

    Jan 10, 2012

    Bryan Bishop

    Vizio reveals new line-up of 3D HDTVs, expands app market selection

    Vizio Television Lineup
    Vizio Television Lineup

    Vizio has announced new models in its line of 3D-capable high-definition LCD televisions, while increasing the number of titles available on its Vizio Internet Apps platform. The televisions range from 32-inch to 65-inch models, all feature built-in Wi-Fi, and utilize the company's passive "Theater 3D" technology, which it claims provides a 3D viewing experience without the nasty headaches and sore eyes we've come to expect. The entry level E-Series includes 32-, 42-, and 47-inch models, priced from $549.99 to $899.99, and are available now. The M and R Series feature increasingly improved backlighting, while also upping the number of 3D glasses included (from two to four, depending on the model). Pricing and availability for the latter two lines have yet to be announced.

    All of the televisions also incorporate Vizio's Internet Apps platform, which the company is expanding in conjunction with the launch. While the usual suspects like Facebook, Netflix, Vudu, and Pandora have already been present, the Yahoo! Connected TV store is now joining the fray, opening up access to more than 180 new apps from the likes of CBS, Showtime, and QVC. Whether it will be enough to cause apps on televisions to truly take off remains to be seen, but one thing is for sure: Vizio isn't leaving any bases uncovered.

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  • Chris Welch

    Jan 10, 2012

    Chris Welch

    Vizio introduces CinemaWide HDTV lineup featuring theater-like 21:9 aspect ratio

    Vizio CinemaWide HDTV press photo
    Vizio CinemaWide HDTV press photo

    Vizio is pursuing every segment of the home theater market at this year's CES. Along with announcing an updated line of mainstream HDTVs, the company has introduced a premium collection of HDTVs known as CinemaWide. That name is a natural fit for the LCD sets, which the manufacturer touts as the world's first to utilize an aspect ratio of 21:9 (something Philips may disagree with). Such unique dimensions allow movies shot in CinemaScope — the predominant method used by today's filmmakers — to be displayed without black bars. Three display sizes will be offered, and they're of the larger variety, coming in at 50, 58, and 71 inches. Edge-lit LED backlighting is in use on the smaller two, which exhibit a contrast ratio of 1,000,000 to 1. The flagship model features full array "TruLED" backlighting, resulting in superior black levels and contrast, says Vizio.

    Further, its Theater 3D technology will be incorporated into the high-end family of HDTVs, with each model also bringing access to the company's V.I.A. smart TV platform. Vizio claims the CinemaWide series as the first to allow users to access the web while simultaneously viewing full-res 1080P television content in the native 16:9 format, another benefit of the ultra-widescreen design. Suffice to say, we're eager to get some time with Vizio's latest; stay tuned for impressions. Unfortunately, we've got nothing to share related to availability and pricing — the company hasn't yet released those details.

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  • Sam Sheffer

    Jan 9, 2012

    Sam Sheffer

    Lenovo K91 Smart TV demo (hands-on pictures and video)

    Lenovo K91 Smart TV
    Lenovo K91 Smart TV

    We just got a chance to play with Lenovo's recently announced K91 Smart TV here at CES 2012. If you'll recall, the 55-inch 3D-enabled IPS television is running a skinned version of Android 4.0 ICS, has a webcam built into the bezel, and is powered by a 1.5GHz dual-core Snapdragon processor.

    The television comes with two remote controls, a traditional-style remote and gamepad. The traditional remote has a built-in microphone that allows for voice commands, such as 'volume up' and the ability to search for video-on-demand content. Additionally, the traditional remote has a gyro sensor and accelerometer so you can take advantage of Wii-style gameplay. The K91's built-in webcam is used for facial recognition that acts a security feature for app locking, essentially keeping others (like children, for example) from accessing certain applications.

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  • Jan 9, 2012

    Vlad Savov

    LG 55-inch OLED TV first video and pictures

    LG 55-inch OLED_1020
    LG 55-inch OLED_1020

    LG has been tight-lipped around specs, only telling us that this TV weighs 7.5kg and measures 4mm thick on the side (at its thinnest point, naturally). The front bezel isn't all that much bigger, but besides knowing it can handle 3D (and is compatible with current LG 3D glasses), we've got little else to go on. Resolution can be reasonably presumed to be 1080p, though again, the colors, contrast, and viewing angles were too awesome for us to try and count pixels. The release date and price will be the critical aspects that determine the fate of this television. Its desirability is beyond question.

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  • Nilay Patel

    Jan 9, 2012

    Nilay Patel

    Toshiba Regza QFHD glasses-free 3D TV hands-on

    Gallery Photo: Toshiba 55-inch 4K glasses-free 3D hands-on
    Gallery Photo: Toshiba 55-inch 4K glasses-free 3D hands-on

    Toshiba announced earlier today that its 55-inch Quad Full HD glasses-free 3D TV was coming to the US later in the first quarter, and we got a second chance to play with one here at CES 2012 — we first saw it back at IFA. QFHD isn't quite 4K, but it still looked pretty amazing in person — leaves have never looked so much like leaves, models have never looked so much like people, that sort of thing. The glasses-free 3D was also pretty effective — a tiny camera in the base tracks your face, and arrows and dots at the top of the screen help you get lined up. Once we got locked in, Coraline looked pretty good, but there was a certain amount of graininess, and we had to hold fairly still to maintain the 3D image. There's also a crazy-huge remote with a slider panel that blocks out buttons you might not want — it's kind of like the last stand of the traditional remote before smart TVs take over with their touchpads and smartphone apps. Still no details on actual pricing — or even what model number this thing will have when it comes to the US — but we'll let you know when we find out.

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  • Nathan Ingraham

    Jan 9, 2012

    Nathan Ingraham

    Toshiba announces L7200 and L6200 3D smart TV series (hands-on)

    Gallery Photo: Toshiba L7200 Cinema Series Smart TV hands-on
    Gallery Photo: Toshiba L7200 Cinema Series Smart TV hands-on

    Befitting their status as smart TVs, there's Wi-Fi and a whole host of software on board: MediaShare is a graphic DLNA interface for streaming videos, music, and photos from computers hooked up to the same network as the TV. If you own one of Toshiba's tablets, you can take advantage of TRAC — tablet remote app capability — which lets you control every aspect of the TV through your tablet. There's also Airplay-style streaming capabilities called Send & Play that lets you push any media from your Toshiba tablet to the TV. The software sounds useful, but it's all about the minuscule bezel and picture quality here. According to Toshiba, these TVs will be available this March, though pricing has yet to be announced.

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  • Thomas Ricker

    Jan 9, 2012

    Thomas Ricker

    Lenovo K91 brings Android 4.0 to the world's most advanced 55-inch TV

    Gallery Photo: Lenovo K91 Smart TV gallery
    Gallery Photo: Lenovo K91 Smart TV gallery

    Lenovo's K91 is not your normal 55-inch television. To start with, its two most notable features are its operating system and central processor: Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich running on Qualcomm's 1.5GHz dual-core 8060 Snapdragon CPU. The TV can be controlled with your voice using natural language processing and recognition, and even includes video interaction (with facial recognition) thanks to a 5 megapixel webcam that's integrated into the bezel. Otherwise, the K91 remote control is up to the task thanks to a touchpad, 5-way d-pad, and motion sensor. The display is no slouch either incorporating 3D FPR technology into a "flicker-free," LED backlit, full HD IPS panel with 240Hz refresh.

    The user experience starts with Lenovo's "Sandwich" UI that unites traditional TV and VoD features with custom-built apps. Other specs include 802.11n Wi-Fi, 8GB of storage with an extra 2GB on removable SD card, access to the Android Market and Lenovo Store, and integration with the Lenovo family of smartphones and tablets that can be used as remote controls or as additional displays for sharing content.

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  • Jan 8, 2012

    Vlad Savov

    LG Cinema Screen Design thins out HDTV bezel to 1mm

    lg cinema screen design-1020
    lg cinema screen design-1020

    LG's CES 2012 presence will be highlighted by a new Cinema Screen Design, featuring a 1mm bezel. The new design language and extremely thin display frame echo the DM92 3D monitor teased recently and will debut on LG's new 3D Smart TVs. The company believes the nearly nonexistent bezel will help immerse viewers more fully into the 3D experience, though we're most psyched to see a couple of these new HDTVs side by side. New Cinema 3D glasses will also be introduced, weighing 20 percent less than LG's current eyewear. Both the new televisions and their matching glasses will be on show here at CES from January 10th, so stay tuned for our first live photos.

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  • Sean Hollister

    Jan 6, 2012

    Sean Hollister

    Toshiba confirms 55-inch QFHD glasses-free 3DTV for the US, shipping Q1 2012 for oodles of cash

    Toshiba REGZA 55X3
    Toshiba REGZA 55X3

    You won't have to envy Europe and Japan much longer, if you had your heart set on a pricy 55-inch autostereoscopic 3DTV with nearly four times the resolution of existing sets: Toshiba confirmed to Engadget and CNET that just such a television will hit the United States in the first quarter of next year. Details were scarce and Toshiba hasn't provided a price yet, but if you're curious what other specifications might be on tap, look no further than Toshiba's existing Regza 55X3 and 55ZL2, which cost upwards of $10,000 in the aforementioned countries. You can also read our impressions of the Toshiba 55ZL2 when we saw it at IFA in September.

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  • Nilay Patel

    Jan 5, 2012

    Nilay Patel

    LG Smart TV with Google TV detailed: polarized 3D, QWERTY remote

    lg google tv
    lg google tv

    LG will be showing off its first Google TV products at CES 2012, and it's just announced some of the first details: the LG Smart TV with Google TV will come in two series when it launches later in the year, both of which will feature Cinema 3D polarized 3D displays that don't require expensive active-shutter LCD glasses to work — you can just wear passive glasses like at the movie theater. LG's also bundling in a QWERTY version of its Magic Remote, creatively called the Magic Remote Qwerty, which it says offers increased ease of use. We'll see how true that is when we play with all this stuff at CES next week — and if LG's managed to update and combine the failed TV gimmicks of 2010 and 2011 into something successful in 2012.

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