Mitsubishi WD-82738: 82 Inches of 3D TV For Only $3800 [HomeTheater]

Mitsubishi announced three new lines of (relatively) affordable 3D Home Cinema TVs today, but the one that sticks out? An 82-inch DLP that puts jumbo-sized 3D in your home for under ISL 14,796.69 ($4,000.)

The trade-off, of course, is that DLP is going to put a little junk in your TV's trunk. But it's a trade-off I'd be willing to make for the price. The WD-82738 steps up from last year's WD-82737 by adding StreamTV Internet Media—with applications ranging from Pandora to Vudu to NY Times. The WD-82838, another 82-inch set that costs ISL 16,646.28 ($4,500,) also includes Immersive Sound Technology, an integrated 16-speaker 5.1 surround sound system.

And if you don't need that much screen real estate, the WD-60638 (the smallest in the series) gives you a 60-inch 3D DLP for ISL 4,439.01 ($1200.) For a 3D set, however fat, that's pretty impressive.

Availability and Suggested Retail Pricing:

638 Series

WD-60638 - ISL 4,435.31 ($1,199.00) WD-65638 - ISL 5,545.06 ($1,499.00) WD-73638 - ISL 7,394.65 ($1,999.00)

738 Series

WD-60738 - ISL 5,175.14 ($1,399.00) WD-65738 - ISL 6,654.81 ($1,799.00) WD-73738 - ISL 8,874.32 ($2,399.00) WD-82738 - ISL 14,053.16 ($3,799.00)

838 Series

WD-65838 - ISL 8,134.48 ($2,199.00) WD-73838 - ISL 10,353.98 ($2,799.00) WD-82838 - ISL 16,642.58 ($4,499.00)

[Gizmodo]

Samsung's LED LCD HDTV Lineup: The 9000 Does 3D and Has a Video-Previewing Touch Remote [HDTVs]

Samsung's LED LCD televisions are here and the flagship 9000 is a doozy. It's the only one they're calling 'ultra thin', has 3D support in late 2010 and a touch remote that shows you content from other video sources!

The thinness (it's as skinny as a pencil) is achieved by shoving lots of guts into the pedestal, which doubles as a wall mount. The set can convert 2D content into 3D, although I'm sure of dubious quality. The remote looks rather Apple-ish in UI, but it can show you, as I said before, content from other sources, like live TV while watching a Blu-ray on the big screen. It has 240Hz tech, which we've never noticed as important in image quality, but it's there (needed for 3D). No word on sizes or prices, yet. There's Samsung app support, but platforms like these are never really well supported. The frame is very shiny.



The rest:

8000 Series: Not as thin as the 9000, it uses edge lit technology and has what Samsung claims is the advantage of backlighting with localized dimming. 240Hz. No prices or sizes. 3D, and treatment to upconvert 2D to 3D. Samsung apps.

7000 Series: No edgelit with localized dimming advantages as in the 8000. 240Hz. No prices or sizes. 3D, and treatment to upconvert 2D to 3D. Samsung apps. 'Touch of Color' translucent frame from last year, with a new 4 legged stand.

6500 Series: 120Hz, 'touch of color' finish. DLNA streaming capabilities. Apps. No 3D. No prices or sizes. Coming the first half of 2010, unlike the above which are coming in '2010'.
5000 Series: Focus on low power usage, including a low power monitor. DLNA, and USB port media playback.
[Gizmodo]

JVC Steals Smallest and Lightest Crown With its GZ-HD620 Camcorder [JVC]

It was only last week that JVC dropped three new Everio camcorders on us, after nearly six months of quiet times. Today's Everio GZ-HD620, which was announced in Japan first, is the world's smallest HD HDD camcorder.
Weighing only 270g, it's also the lightest. The HDD has 120GB of storage for you to fill up with 1080p videos of your dog, and the sensor is a 1/4.1' 3.32 MP CMOS job. 30x optical zoom and 200x digital zoom, you can playback footage on the 2.7-inch LCD screen or upload easily to YouTube thanks to the quick upload function. A microSD/SDHC slot, USB and HDMI ports round the camcorder, which measures 53 x 63 x 115mm, off nicely.
Available in Japan from tomorrow in black, red and silver colorways, we should see more of the GZ-HD620 come January at CES.
[Gizmodo via Akihabara News]

LVP-HC3800: Mitsubishi’s new full HD DLP projector

Mitsubishi Electric has announced [JP] the LPV-HC3800 for the Japanese market today, a full HD DLP projector that features a contrast ratio of 3,000:1, 1,200 lumens brightness and a DDP3021 full 10-bit panel driver. The device comes with a 230W lamp that has a lifespan of 5,000 hours and depending on the operating mode, it can be as quiet as 25dB.

Mitsubishi plans to start selling the LPV-HC3800 in Japan starting November 20 for $2,200. The company hasn’t said yet whether the projector will make its way outside Japan as well (but Mitsubishi Electric does sell projectors in the US, for example, so chances are they will export this one, too).
[CrunchGear]

Sanyo’s new camcorders are iFrame-compatible, and I say again, DO NOT WANT iFrame

Yesterday I lamented Apple’s decision to establish its own video standard, which, while little more than a suggested resolution and bitrate, does not fit will with any devices anywhere. The steady progression of VGA or WVGA, 720p, and 1080p are perfectly fine for the moment. That’s why every camera in the world shoots to one of them. 1080p is too much for most people to work with, but 720p isn’t that bad (though render times can be long), and VGA is really not that bad at all (Doug swears by it). So why the hell put a new one in there between WVGA and 720p? I don’t like the idea of Apple bullying companies like Sanyo, who make perfectly good camcorders already, to add an option which needlessly complicates things.
But let’s just get these camcorders out of the way, because they’re worth taking a look at. The two cameras are almost the same spec-wise except the horizontally-oriented FH1 has a 3-inch LCD as opposed to the pistol grip HD2000’s 2.7-inch. They appear to be quite versatile camcorders, able to take 12 stills a second or shoot up to 600FPS video at reduced resolution, something which was until recently the exclusive ability of Casio Exilims. They’ll shoot 1080p video at 60FPS, which is pretty amazing, though I don’t recommend you do it. Interestingly, they won’t shoot 720p or 640×480 at 60FPS — a bit odd. SD cards are the medium you record to, and both cameras have a 10x optical zoom. Quite a neat little package for $500! Or $600 if you want the pistol grip.
But to return to the rant. These cameras will also shoot, and in fact will default to, the 960×540 iFrame format. Come on. It can do so much and you’re defaulting it to this random format?
[CrunchGear]

JVC GZ-HM400 HD Camcorder: Like the Slo Mo Everio X, With Better Controls and Optics [Camcorders]

We thought about passing on a post about this new JVC camcorder since its specs don't indicate much of an upgrade from previous cams, but the 1080p, slowmo capable machine has better stabilization, manual controls and full bitrate AVCHD recording.
Those are mild upgrades, I'll give you that. At first glance, the camera sounds suspiciously like the Everio X, but I decided to post anyhow. The camera has 32GB of internal memory and an SD/SDHC slot. Slow motion is possible at 600fps, albeit at a ridiculous resolution of 640x72 (yes, seventy two) pixels. It shoots at 300fps at a slightly less filmstrip-like res but the 120fps mode at 480x270 pixels is anywhere close to acceptable.
The HM400 also has 9 and 5.3MP still modes without interpolation, and captures its 1080p video at the AVCHD format's maximum bitrate of 24mbps. Glass has been upgraded here to use two prisms for optical stabilization. And the camera has new manual controls that put the camera into aperture and shutter priority modes. It goes for $1000 to a buyer who hasn't been seduced by a Flip HD and still needs real zoom and picture quality. [JVC]

JVC's LT-32WX50 Is Insanely Thin, Insanelier Expensive [Displays]

I'm not sure you could ever call a 32-inch monitor portable, but if you could, the JVC LT-32WX50 fits the bill. Aside from the LCD's 1/4-inch (6.4mm) depth, the display weighs but 12.5 pounds.
And with a 4000:1 contrast ratio along with a 90 percent of Adobe RGB color gamut, the picture should be pretty great, too, fed into 2 HDMI inputs along with a VGA if you'd prefer.
Of course, there's always a catch.

For one, we don't know the resolution beyond that it's 'exceptionally high.' That could mean 1080P. That could mean 4-bajillion-K. That could mean...you know, it's not defined. Plus, it's $3,000 this November. I'm can't know the precise amount of satisfaction you receive after inviting friends into your office only to turn your monitor on its side so that your guests can pretend to ooh and ahh at your extravagance, but it can't be better than what $3,000 can buy you in the recreational chemical and escort industries. Trust me.

JVC Announces Super Slim & Light Flat Panel Monitor
32-inch LED backlit monitor measures just ¼-inch deep
ATLANTA, September 10, 2009 – JVC today announced a super slim LCD monitor for home theater use that measures a mere ¼-inch (6.4mm) deep across most of the panel and weighs just 12.5 pounds (5.7kg). The new 32-inch class LT-32WX50 will be available in the U.S. in November.
The new monitor's super slim profile is made possible by the use of JVC's edge LED backlighting system.
It offers a 4000:1 contrast ratio and wide color gamut for exceptionally high resolution of both video and still images.
The monitor's shallow depth makes it ideal for consumers who want the design flexibility such a slim design allows. It also lends itself to a variety of commercial applications. Another attribute is that fewer material resources are used in making the monitor, reducing the product's environmental impact.
Key features of the LT-32WX50 are:
• Taking advantage of JVC's unique LCD panel edged-light LED backlight system, the LT-32WX50 is stunningly thin - just 1/4-inch* (6.4mm) deep at its thinnest point, with a slim module inset along the bottom third that houses the monitor's inputs and other connections;
• Six picture settings: home, retail, movie, monitor, SLR photo mode, game;
• It covers a wide color gamut – 100 percent of sRGB and 90 percent of Adobe RGB;
• It uses approximately 50 percent fewer material resources and eliminates the use of mercury;
• JVC's high definition picture engine is designed for reproducing both video and still images;
• It includes two HDMI connections along with analog RGB (D-Dub, 15-pin); the display can be controlled externally via RS-232C;
* When measured from the front surface of LCD panel to the rear surface of the cabinet.
The JVC LT-32WX50 will be available in November for less than $3,000.