CES 2010 latest news
- prev
- 1
- next
The Vizio SV47LF features a 120Hz refresh rate.
(Credit: Vizio)Anyone who's purchased an HDTV is aware that manufacturers are always trying to persuade buyers to purchase the higher-end models. The most popular step-up feature over the past few years has been 1080p resolution--despite the fact that it's not much better than 720p--but now that 1080p has become passe, 120Hz refresh rate is one of the newest buzz terms. Not to be left out of the feature wars, Vizio has announced a new line of 1080p LCDs featuring 120Hz technology, called the "Black Tie" series, which includes the 42-inch SV42LF and the 47-inch SV47LF.
On top of just having a faster refresh rate, these new sets also include de-judder processing, which Vizio refers to as MEMC (Motion Estimation, Motion Compensation). De-judder processing has the effect of smoothing out some of the jerkiness that often occurs on slow panning shots, although not everyone likes the effect--some complain that it makes film have a "video" look. The connectivity of these sets is highlighted by four HDMI inputs, two of which are located on the side. These side HDMI inputs are considered "Game Ports," for easily connecting hi-def game consoles like the Xbox 360 and the PlayStation 3. Vizio did not mention if these series will include a "game mode" that bypasses video processing, which some gamers desire because it reduces lag time.
The new SV42LF and SV47LF are scheduled to be released in July 2008 with list prices of $1,500 and $1,900, respectively.
View complete CES 2008 coverage from CNET.
Vizio's Jive SV5.1 lets you drop the wires running to the back of your home theater.
(Credit: Vizio)Most people love surround sound, but can't stand all the messy wires required to make it work. Vizio's new Jive SV5.1 Enhancement kit attempts to solve that problem with a wireless subwoofer that's placed in the back of the room and feeds two rear speakers--eliminating the need to run wires from the front of your home theater to the back. The Jive SV5.1 integrates with your current stereo TV speakers, adding a center channel in the front, and the aforementioned wireless subwoofer and rear speakers in the back. While that's great in terms of reducing wire clutter, utilizing the built-in speakers on your TV for the critical left and right channels is going to disappoint anyone who values audio quality. Also note that the subwoofer works wirelessly on the crowded 2.4GHz spectrum, so you might experience some interference if your home theater is in the proximity of cordless phones and Wi-Fi networks.
Even with those shortcomings, we could see the SV5.1 Jive finding a home with gamers who aren't concerned as much with sound quality but still want a more immersive experience. The VIZIO Jive SV5.1 will have list price of $300 when it's released in July.
View complete CES 2008 coverage from CNET.
The Vizio VP605F has built-in HQV and four HDMI ports.
(Credit: Vizio)Vizio may be known as the bargain brand found at Costco, but AV enthusiasts might want to take Vizio's new series of plasmas more seriously. Vizio announced two new plasma displays, the 50-inch Vizio VP504F and the 60-inch Vizio VP605F, both of which have HQV processing built into the panel. For those that don't memorize every home theater acronym, HQV processing is a third-party video chip that, in our experience, delivers excellent video quality for scaling lower-resolution sources--like DVDs--to the native resolution of the panel. Usually HQV processing is included in receivers or high-def disc players, but the advantage of having the chip in an HDTV is that every incoming source is scaled using the HQV chip, instead of needing each individual source to have HQV processing.
Watch the Vizio VP504F video on CNET TV.
The VP605F touts a 1080p (1920x1080) native resolution, while the smaller VP504F presumably features a 720p (1366x768) native resolution (for more information on 1080p vs. 720p--and whether 1080p is worth it--read this column). Both sets include four HDMI 1.3 inputs, two of which are positioned on the side of the panels. Vizio quotes several other specs, including a "10-bit diagonal interpolator" and "true 10-bit processing which outputs 4:4:4: color processing", but we'll wait until we actually review the sets to see if it makes a difference.
In typical Vizio style, the prices of these nicely featured sets are less than you might imagine. Both the VP504F and VIZIO VP605F are scheduled to be released in June 2008 with list prices of $1,699 and $2,899, respectively.
- prev
- 1
- next
