TV Articles

Time Warner Cable now streams to your desktop

Time Warner Cable, which last year unveiled its first iPad app, has just launched a beta version of the software for computer streaming.

The new app lets cable (and data) subscribers stream live TV to their Mac or Windows PC while in the home.

The app's features include "Live TV" of a limited number of channels, a seven-day program guide, control of the set-top box (to watch on the TV screen) and the PC (to watch on the computer screen), DVR management, and a search function.

"Ever since launching the TWC TV app for the iPad, … Read more

Onkyo's 2012 midrange receiver line goes up to 8 HDMI inputs

If you thought midrange AV receivers were going to max out at six HDMI inputs, you were wrong.

Onkyo announced its 2012 line of midrange AV receivers this morning, with the TX-NR515 and TX-NR616 each featuring eight HDMI inputs, enough to handle your cable box, PS3, Xbox 360, Roku LT, Apple TV, and three other home theater gadgets. The front-panel HDMI input on those two models is also MHL-compatible, which means you can connect a compatible smartphone or other MHL gadgets like the upcoming Roku Streaming Stick.

Here's a quick breakdown of the new models and most important features:… Read more

What I'd (still) like to see in a new Apple TV

Almost every recent Apple event has been preceded by rumors of a big Apple TV update and yesterday's WWDC was no different. The rumor mill was expecting a full-blown app store for Apple's set-top box, but instead the Apple TV was mentioned only in passing, primarily to demonstrate AirPlay.

That lack of an update wasn't that surprising to me, but it means my wish list for an overhauled Apple TV from earlier this year is still largely unfulfilled. As good as the current Apple TV is (I like the current model a lot; see my full review), there's plenty of room for improvement, especially with competitors like Roku and Xbox 360 providing compelling alternatives.

Here's what I'm still hoping will eventually make its way to the Apple TV.

… Read more

Should I upgrade my CRT HDTV? (Morrison's Mailbag)

CNET Chris D. asks:

I have a CRT HD TV that is 5 and a half years old (one of the last ones they made). In terms of picture quality, it still looks better than any of the LED, LCD, or plasma sets I've seen. Am I right? I watch a lot of 4:3 TV. I'm concerned that if I upgrade I'll be forced to have a distorted 4:3 image (i.e., through "stretch" or "zoom" etc.). Is this still the case? Thanks for any reply.

Normally I don't answer "should I upgrade" questions, but who can resist a good CRT bashing?… Read more

Morrison's Mailbag: Why does my TV have a noise reduction setting?

CNET reader "Nindevo" asks:

In regards to your articles about the HDMI cables, I was just wondering why TVs have "noise reduction" settings. I thought digital signals (HDMI) couldn't have noise.

Interesting question.… Read more

DirecTV takes its TiVo HD box nationwide, but will its users care?

TiVo and DirecTV's on-again, off-again, really off-again, kinda on-again relationship is now completely back on again.

After a 10-city rollout in December of a new TiVo HD box to DirecTV customers, the satellite TV provider is making the box available nationwide.

The TiVo HD box mainly gives users access to TiVo's excellent interface and features such as WishList Searches so you can automatically record programming based on things like an actor's name, sports team, or personal interests, and TiVo's Swivel Search will find shows across TV and DirecTV Cinema.

The box itself is capable of recording … Read more

Best 2D-only televisions

Despite the industry's best efforts, 3D in the home has brought about little more than a yawn and a shift in the seats for most of the buying public.

The problem is very simply this: there's no content. TV manufacturers will quickly tell you it doesn't matter, that's what 2D-to-3D conversion is for, but when major studios can screw up a major conversion job on a movie like "Alice in Wonderland," what chance does your TV have?

Most TVs come with 3D these days, and the ones without tend to be on the cheaper side. If you're one of the people who would rather not pay for 3D, then while the pickings may be slim, they are significant.

We've chosen from the best non-3D TVs of the last 12 months, and present them below. As they are bare-bones TVs, you may miss out on some advanced Smart TV features, but this is something that a $50 Roku box could help fix.… Read more

CNET's TV testing lab: Behind the curtain (photos)

You've seen the video and you've read the entire How We Test document top to bottom. Now take the photo tour.

As CNET's two-man HDTV reviews team gears up to take on the panels of 2012, we thought we'd pause to give you a taste of the place where the magic of evaluation happens: our lab. We just vacuumed and we're pretty proud of the results. … Read more

Monoprice's ultraslim 60-foot HDMI cable with RedMere (hands-on)

All HDMI cables may be the same in terms of image quality, but that doesn't mean they're physically the same.

In the photo above, the thick cable on the right is Monoprice's current 50-foot cable; the cable on the left is the upcoming Monoprice 60-foot ultraslim cable. The new cable is dramatically thinner than traditional long-run HDMI cables--every editor at CNET who held the two cables was impressed by the difference.

RedMere: Unidirectional, thin, and enables long runs The difference between the two cables is because of the 60-foot cable's built-in RedMere chipset, which draws a small amount of power from the HDMI source (Blu-ray player, cable box) and allows less copper to be used in the cable.… Read more