quattrone

Could LG's new 55-inch OLED be the best TV ever?

LG is expected to release the "world's largest" 55-inch OLED TV in 2012 that features four colors instead of the three-color RGB standard and promises better off-axis viewing than competitors.

Where Sharp added a yellow pixel to its Quattron technology, LG has added a white pixel to its OLED (organic light emitting diode) panel for a "brighter picture".

In terms of image quality, Sharp offers some stiff competition to the OLED, with its Elite Pro receiving a deeply impressive 9.5 rating from David Katzmaier last month

Traditionally, OLED offers higher contrast than both LCD … Read more

Myths, Marketing, and Misdirection: HDTV edition

The onslaught of marketing this time of year is unsurprising, but no less unpleasant. Advertising of products can be a useful tool, informing the public of the latest and greatest.

Where it becomes offensive is when it includes blatant lies, misleading truths, or perpetrates a myth.

Don't be fooled by these deceptive practices, in this (admittedly first) edition of Myths, Marketing, and Misdirection, the HDTV edition.… Read more

Quick Take: Sharp LC-60LE831U

Although CNET did not review the Sharp LC-60LE831U, which is exclusive to Best Buy, we did review a similar, non-exclusive TV, the LC-60LE830U.

According to the manufacturer the only differences between the two are that Best Buy's LC-60LE831U lacks Quad Pixel Plus and IP Control features, and that the dynamic contrast ratio specification on the 831U is 5,000,000:1, compared with the 830U's 6,000,000:1.

We don't expect the difference in contrast ratio specification to have a major impact on picture quality, but we can't say for sure since we haven't … Read more

Quick Take: Sharp LC-60LE832U

Although CNET did not review the Sharp LC-60LE832U, we did review a similar TV, the LC-60LE830U.

According to the manufacturer, the only difference between the two is that the LC-60LE832U has a 240Hz refresh rate, while the LC-60LE830U has a 120Hz refresh rate. We don't expect this difference to have a major impact on picture quality. Check out the article 240Hz: What you need to know for details.

For more information, check out our full review of the Sharp Aquos Quattron LC-60LE830U.

Sharp LCD reviewed: Don't blame the yellow pixel

Last year Sharp made a splash with ads featuring Star Trek's Mr. Sulu--George Takei--comically extolling the virtues of a technology called Quattron. With the memorable "Oh, myyy" tagline, the spots attempted to convince TV buyers that the technology, which adds a fourth yellow subpixel to the standard array of red, green, and blue, improved color fidelity. Despite covering the launch in-depth, we never reviewed one of those 2010 TVs, but after spending some time with the 2011 version, represented by the LC-LE830U series, we're a bit less impressed than Sulu was.

If you calibrate the LC-LE830U … Read more

GoDaddy goes on sale

Domain-name registrar and Web-hosting service GoDaddy.com is putting itself on the auction block and could sell to a private equity firm for more than $1 billion, according to a report.

Citing unnamed sources, The Wall Street Journal said Frank Quattrone's Qatalyst Partners has been hired to shop around the Go Daddy Group, parent company of GoDaddy, which has long been known to the general public for its racy Super Bowl commercials.

GoDaddy is attractive to private equity firms because of the money it makes from monthly subscriptions and from selling Web-site extras to customers, the Journal said. The … Read more

Debunked: 'Infinite' contrast ratio, 240Hz, and Sharp's yellow pixel

The cutthroat competition among HDTV-makers inspires constant efforts to one-up the other guy, and the end result are confusing, misleading claims that do little to tell shoppers about true performance and picture quality. At CNET I try to cut through a lot of that "specmanship" in my reviews, and many other critical voices are fighting the good fight too.

"Display Myths Shattered: How Monitor & HDTV Companies Cook Their Specs" collects numerous misleading HDTV and PC monitor specs and debunks them one by one. The author, Raymond Soneira, takes aim at unnecessary--and often harmful to picture … Read more

Sharp intros industry first four-color pixels

Update May 6, 2010: Pricing and further details added and modified. For a closer look at the Quad Pixel technology, which Sharp is calling Quattron, check out the slideshow. Also, according to Sharp, the 68-inch version will not be available until 2011.

LAS VEGAS--As Sharp heads into 2010, it isn't talking much about 3D, but it is touting some technology and design updates to its line of UltraBrilliant edge-lit Aquos LED LCD TVs, and a larger screen size: a 68-inch model it says is an industry first.

Sharp delivered a lot of information at a press conference announcing the … Read more

Wanna keep bitching about Frank Quattrone? Get over it already

America loves second acts.

After then-New York Attorney General Eliot Spitzer uncovered his shenanigans during the go-go days, none other than Henry Blodget is back holding a very public court with a video gig at Yahoo in addition to his day job as reigning tech pundit at his Silicon Alley Insider blog.

So somehow I can't really summon any moral indignation upon learning that Frank Quattrone is back in business. Say what you like about him but at least he's not a creep.

Earlier Thursday, The New York Times was first to report that the one-time Silicon Valley … Read more