Code Retard

For those of us who just bought brand new HDTVs, this question has definitely come up: what is the proper way to clean the LCD panel? At first thought, you might think, “Easy! I’ll just spray on some Windex.” Wrong. Windex and other similar cleaning agents contain ammonia, which are known to strip the screen’s anti-glare as well as cloud the plastic-based screen over time. Well, you think, “What about water?”
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Despite large growth in the high definition market, standard DVD sales continue to sag, and home video revenue will continue to fall, report a few notable analysts.

According to Reuters, 5 million HD movies have already been sold this year (mainly Blu-ray) and that puts the pace far ahead then 2007 which saw only 10 million movies sold for the entire year.

This strong growth however is not enough to make up for the continued sagging sales of standard definition DVDs. In 2006, movie studios generated $25 billion USD in revenue for home video releases. In 2007 the number fell to $23 billion and Citigroup analyst Jason Bazinet believes that number will fall again this year to $21.4 billion.

Analysts also feel that consumers see less benefit in upgrading to Blu-ray then they did with the switch from VHS to DVD. Many consumers don’t even have the necessary equipment to enjoy Blu-ray, including Blu-ray players, HDTVs or surround sound setups. Price of course is another significant barrier with most Blu-ray players costing about $400 USD, about $250 USD more expensive than even the best upscaling standard DVD players.

Sony Electronics CEO Stan Glasgow agreed in March that a price drop was necessary for more market penetration but that the necessary $200 price point wont be available until at least 2009.

“I don’t think $200 is going to happen this year. Next year $200 could happen,” said Glasgow. “We’ll be at a $300 rate this year. $299 will happen this year.”

Another factor is that Blu-ray movies usually sell at a $15 dollar premium over their standard definition counterpart (yes, even at Amazon) making the alternative not as pretty usually despite its much improved audio and video.

Samsung and Sony will reportedly spend 1.8 trillion South Korean won (about $1.9 billion USD) to buy a new facility to upgrade their S-LCD Corporation joint venture.

The new upgrade will allow the companies to produce enough 8G LCD panels to meet “increasing global demand.”

The Wall Street Journal adds that the “new manufacturing line will be located in the Tangjeong complex southeast of Seoul, where production will start in 2009. Monthly output is initially expected to reach 60,000 units, versus 50,000 sheets currently.”

Samsung recently reported a robust first quarter flat-panel division profit of about 1.01 trillion South Korean won. The company also reported that margins were at a four-year high.

Both companies expect LCD TVs to be in high demand globally in preparation for the Summer Olympic Games in China.

As DVI and HDMI connections become more and more widely used, we are often asked: which is better, DVI (or HDMI) or component video? The answer, as it happens, is not cut-and-dried.

First, to clear away one element that can be confusing: DVI and HDMI are exactly the same as one another, image-quality-wise. The principal differences are that HDMI carries audio as well as video, and uses a different type of connector, but both use the same encoding scheme, and that’s why a DVI source can be connected to an HDMI monitor, or vice versa, with a DVI/HDMI cable, with no intervening converter box.

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Yesterday, my long awaited Samsung 46″ LCD HDTV arrived and I had a ball of a time hooking it up with the rest of my electronics.  The TV is a 5 series which has been very widely regarded in the Samsung TV owner community, and the one I bought sports a 30:000 contrast and 3 HDMI inputs among its standout qualities, all in 1080p. When I bought it, it was $1591, but right now it’s $1499 with free shipping and no tax to most states. If you’ve been shopping around, I strongly recommend this unit at this price!!! I have been monitoring the price like a hawk since I bought it for price adjustment and I’ve seen it fluctuate wildly from the price I bought it at up to $1630. Just a reminder though, make sure you are buying from Amazon (not Electronics Expo or some other retailer) to get the free shipping and price adjustment guarantee.
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So i was playing Super Smash Bros. Brawl on my old 42″ Sony RPTV on Friday night when it finally kicked the bucket. This TV has been on the verge of dying for the last 2 years I’ve had it in my apartment when i took it from my parents’ house where it’s been in use since 1993.

It was a good sized TV for and great for its time, but something was screwy with the video projector as it would start to make a high pitched squeal after watching for several minutes. You could turn off the TV for a couple of seconds it might go away, but it always came back especially when the screen was very white. You didn’t hear it as much when it was darker. On top of the squealing, the picture would sometimes flicker until there was a red ghost image of whatever we were watching appeared. Again, you could turn off the TV and turn it on and it would go away only to haunt us again another day.

I’ve had problems with this TV before. Had it repaired maybe twice in its lifetime at my parents’ house. I knew it wasn’t worth it to get it repaired again so i’ve been looking to get an HDTV for the past couple of months. Funny how it died because i was playing with my gf on the couch and she said “Do you smell something burning??” and i replied, “Yea… maybe its coming from outside” to which then 30 seconds later, the TV made a popping noise and shut off indefinitely. R.I.P. Sony TV….

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