TV Articles

Top 5 TVs of 2011

In 2011, the biggest "breakthrough" may have been that connected TVs finally got a name--Smart TV--but the year also gave us some excellent televisions.

The Pioneer Kuro has remained the standard in picture quality since the last one rolled out of the factory three years ago, but this year it received a challenger: the Sharp Elite Pro. It wasn't even a plasma, but a highly sophisticated LCD, which eclipsed every other TV released this year.

Sharp aside, there were also standout TVs from Samsung and Panasonic, and LG started what could be a significant trend with the release of the first "passive" 3D televisions.

The TVs presented here in order of greatness are the pick of the crop from 2011, and in addition to excellent picture quality also come studded with the features--3D, Smart TV, etc.--demanded of a modern television.… Read more

Samsung to unveil remote TV apps at CES?

Samsung has just unveiled a new teaser trailer for its CES 2012 appearance, which features a family playing with tablets and phones on the couch--suggesting the company will feature extended integration between its TVs and mobile devices, and perhaps even with Apple technology.

Samsung debuted remote watching with its Samsung C9000 television and we expect the company to extend that ability to more tablets and mobiles in 2012.

The teaser features a look at the last 60 years of television, with the change from black and white to color and up to advances such as 3D.

The video ends with … Read more

New LG Magic Remote gets voice control

You can soon talk to your LG Cinema 3D smart TV using a new Magic Remote announced by the Korean chaebol. Besides voice recognition, the controller has also been upgraded with a scroll wheel, gesture sensing, and a 2D-to-3D conversion button.

LG says the Magic Remote makes for a faster smart-TV browsing experience, and improved comfort and convenience. That said, the company did not provide any pricing and availability details in its press release. LG's current Magic Motion remote control is bundled with certain TV models such as the 47LW6500.

So what's your preferred smart TV controller? Is it a swanky smartphone, large-screen tablet, or funky Wiimote-like wand? Share your thoughts with us below.

(Source: Crave Asia via Engadget)… Read more

How to get your Ethernet-only gadgets on your home network

Internet and network connectivity is becoming a key feature in more and more home entertainment products--everything from TVs to Blu-ray players to audio components. But many of these products come with a big caveat: they don't include built-in support for wireless networking, or Wi-Fi.

This list of wired-only products includes such mainstream devices as TiVo, Slingbox, most entry-level Blu-ray players, many Internet-ready TVs, and the pre-2010 versions of the Xbox 360. Even pricier products such as AV receivers (including the otherwise excellent Denon AVR-1912) don't necessarily come with wireless connectivity on board. For many of these, manufacturers offer … Read more

Getting a new Blu-ray player? Ignore these apps

If you're getting a new Blu-ray player this holiday season, chances are it's loaded with apps. And a lot of them aren't worth trying.

A broad selection of apps is theoretically great, but in reality there are entire genres of apps worth skipping on Blu-ray players. Sure, you could find that out the hard way by trial-and-error, but that's particularly frustrating on Blu-ray players where you often have to tediously enter in a log-in and password using an onscreen keyboard and a remote.

The big-screen experience just doesn't lend itself to all types of apps, … Read more

WD TV gets smartphone remote app, Vudu

Western Digital announced several updates to the WD TV Live and WD TV Live Hub streaming-media boxes today, including a smartphone app for both iOS and Android, plus a new slate of streaming services, including Vudu, Flixster, SnagFilms, XOS College Sports, SEC Digital NEtwork, Comedy Time, and Watch Mojo.

While a lot of those services lack a broad appeal, the addition of Vudu is a big plus, as the WD line of streaming-media boxes previously lacked a top-tier pay-per-view movie and TV service. That's important for getting access to more new release content that's often missing from subscription … Read more

Vizio M3D0SR series: Quick take

If you're looking for a TV that offers the blacks of a plasma with the energy-saving benefits and slimness of an LCD, then the M3D0SR range from Vizio may be of interest to you.

"Plasma-like blacks?" you ask. Almost, yes. The Vizio's Smart Dimming is able to give excellent contrast levels.

Most CNET TV reviews are based on an entire series as, according to manufacturers, most TVs in a series are very similar. But the 46-inch and 55-inch M3D0SR here are quite different. In what is an interesting business decision, the three models in the Vizio … Read more

Projectors vs. TVs: Giant-screen pros and cons

Editors' note: This post was updated March 12, 2013.

Despite reviewing TVs for a living, I don't actually own a TV. The last TV I bought was a 27-inch CRT, in the summer of 2000.

Instead, I do all my TV and movie watching on a 102-inch screen. It's epic. And a projector doesn't have to cost a lot of money, nor is it difficult to set up.

The pros and cons of projection (and why you really, really want it), after the jump.… Read more

LED LCD vs. plasma vs. LCD

Updated November 2012!

In this television technology trifecta, which comes out on top? The subject of countless debates and diatribes, the better question is: which works best? Or more precisely, which works best for you?

When you cut through the hype and the fanboys, each tech has different benefits and costs. So to help you figure out which TV is right for your house, let's take a look at each one.… Read more