In recent years at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, it seemed like the different manufacturers were constantly fighting with one another to produce the largest single panel television. This year was different. Instead of simply going for size, they really started to focus on new features that would actually enhance the user experience.
The Push Toward 3D TV in the Home
The idea of having a 3D TV in the living room is nothing new. If you remember the CES coverage that we provided last year, most of these companies already had 3D televisions on display. However, with the arrival of a 3D Blu-ray standard, it seems that 3D has become the “it” feature of the future.
Samsung introduced the widest range of TV products, including LED TV, LCD TV, plasma TV, Blu-ray players, and home theater systems. To push this point home, Samsung has partnered with Technicolor and Dreamworks. Having the 3D hardware is pointless without the right content. In like manner, Panasonic has teamed up with DirecTV for more 3D content.
The special 3D glasses are getting better and Samsung even has a TV set that doesn’t require the glasses at all. The performance on that unit isn’t quite as good as the others, since you have to be standing in the perfect sweet spot to get the desired effect, but it is certainly more convenient.
Increased Internet Connectivity and Apps
If you were to ask the people at LG, they’d point out that they have the 3D thing going on too, but they feel that increased Internet connectivity is even more important to the end consumer at this point. It’s about interaction.
On the LG side, they want you to stream online content, like YouTube, directly to your LG HDTV. Further still, they’re looking for some incredible convergence. They have a media hub where you can connect all of your input sources, like your Xbox or notebook PC, and have that content sent to any TV in your home. The kicker? You’re using your cell phone as the master remote for this purpose.
Not to be outdone, the boys in blue introduced something called Samsung Apps. This is a multi-device app store that will offer new apps not only for smartphones, but also for your TV and more. Get widgets for live weather updates and so on. The free TV apps will be ready for the spring, while paid apps will arrive in the summer.
Samsung is equally dedicated to convergence in the home. I’m not entirely sure how it’ll work, but they say that all WiFi-enabled Samsung devices can be interconnected. For instance, you can use your Samsung notebook PC to control the TV or even use your smartphone as a second screen, streaming your TV content to your hands.
Front-Facing Camera for Optimal Experiences
For the new Sony XBR-52LX900 HD television, which also happens to be 3D-capable, there is an integrated camera in the base that will recognize when there are people sitting in front of it. Using facial recognition, this unique system serves three different purposes.
First, it will see if there is actually anyone watching the TV at all. If it detects that you have left the room, it will automatically dim its backlight after a certain period of time has passed. They say that this can result in up to a 50% improvement in power efficiency.
Second, the embedded camera has a Distance Alert feature. If you pull up a little too close, the screen will black out and tell you that you are too close to the screen. Your mom probably nagged you about this is a child, right?
Third, the facial recognition software will detect where the viewers are in the room relative to the television set. In doing so, it can then optimize both the audio and video to put the viewer in the “sweet spot.”
How Much Thinner Can They Get?
For most people, regular old flat panel TVs will do just fine. However, walking through the hallowed halls of the Las Vegas Convention Centre, we are once again reminded of our desire for the unbelievable. On display was a 55-inch LG full LED television that measured a mere 6.9mm in thickness. That’s about the same width as a pencil. As if that were not enough to whet your whistle, this TV needs only a power cable, letting you mount it almost completely flush against the wall. Check out our video walkthrough.
So, where are the input sources then? Those are in that separate box shown underneath the TV. This will stream uncompressed full 1080p HD signals to the television from across the room.
The Future of HDTV
If there is one thing I learned during my television research journeys at this year’s Consumer Electronics Show, it’s that the television manufacturers are pushing much of their focus away from “just” picture quality. Consumers are demanding more.
That’s not to say that picture quality isn’t important — LED TVs can have multiple zones for selective dimming, for example — but there is a definite shift in attention toward things like Internet media streaming, convergence in the home, and the availability of widgets and apps on the TV. And let’s not forget for 3D too. Prepare yourself for home entertainment in three dimensions.
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CES 2010 – New and Emerging TV Tech from Samsung, LG, and Sony – Photo Gallery
