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7 Home Theater Gimmicks We Hope Never Actually ExistEvery year the home theater industry tests out new innovations in their products, but sometimes these so-called "breakthroughs" end up being little more than cheap gimmicks. Though 2015 will see a continued push for buzz-worthy features like 4K resolution, curved-screens, 3D, quantum dots, high dynamic range, expanded colors, and more, some consumers fear that many of these feature are just marketing ploys aimed at emptying our wallets. But are these potential gimmicks really that bad? Only time will tell, but one thing is for certain: it could be a lot worse. [teaser]Think curved TVs are annoying and unnecessary? Well, how about a smiling TV? In the snarky spirit of industry innovation, we've come up with seven terrible home theater gimmicks, features, and products of our own. [/teaser] Gimmicks so unbelievably awful that they could never actually be real... hopefully. Culled from the rambling thoughts of a crazed home theater enthusiast gone mad, this list should help put things in perspective -- and we pray it doesn't give TV companies any ideas. Smiling TV Sure, curved TVs are all the rage now, but what about a TV that arches upward? Yes, that's right. I'm talking about a smiling TV. Does this cheerful design add an extra layer of immersion? Well, not exactly… but how else are you supposed to know that your TV is happy? And there's nothing more inviting than a smile, right? That new expensive Sony model might have local dimming, but once you see this charming grin staring back at you on the Best Buy sales floor, you won't be able to resist a purchase. And as an added bonus, your display's perpetual smirk makes even the most depressing content upbeat. 'Sophie's Choice' is now practically a comedy! Show-Skipping DVR Are you one of those people who just likes to watch the Super Bowl for the commercials? Are you tired of having to sit through all those pesky TV shows just so you can get to the real good stuff? Yeah, 'The Walking Dead' is exciting and all, but we know that you really just want to see that new Snickers ad. With the show-skipping DVR, customers can automatically fast forward straight through those worthless primetime dramas and sitcoms to get to the advertisements! And an upcoming firmware update will even add commercials to premium cable content. 'Game of Thrones' is so much more entertaining when every character death is interrupted by a State Farm Life Insurance ad. If only Ned had gotten a better policy… Window TV Ultra HD is taking TV picture quality to the next level, but it still can't quite beat the real thing. So why not just have the real thing? With the Window TV, consumers get the absolute highest resolution possible in full 3D! It has perfect blacks, perfect colors, and perfect contrast. And there's no wires and no installation -- just a big old hole in your wall revealing the outdoor world. You know, the one that you've been neglecting for the past decade. And isn't it beautiful? Depending on your particular location you might see gorgeous vistas, serene beaches, towering skyscrapers, or dumpsters surrounded by wild packs of noisy cats. And for an added sense of immersion, the Window TV even lets in some genuine fresh air… or the smell of garbage. Teal-O-Vision 2015 is bringing a big push for expanded color gamuts, but most film fans know that there are really only two colors that truly matter now: Teal and orange. Orange and teal. Hollywood's favorite lazy color palette can already be found on most big new releases, but what about those few remaining movies that aren't so lucky? And what about classic films released before the teal and orange renaissance? Why should they have to miss out? The Teal-O-Vision setting automatically changes the color timing of your display to make all content gloriously teal and orange! Because everyone should like they have a sunburn and live underwater. Dumb TV Are you tired of your uppity smart TV always staying one step ahead of you? How does it know that you just binge watched all of 'House of Cards' anyway?' And how does it know that you really just want to binge watch all of 'Gilmore Girls' next? The machine uprising might be getting closer every year, but Dumb TVs are here to help delay our inevitable enslavement. And they promise a big old ego boost too! The specially designed OS makes you feel smart by never getting anything right. Select the Netflix app and you'll trigger the sleep timer. Turn the volume down and you'll order the entire first season of 'Saved by the Bell' on Amazon Instant Video. Sure, Dumb TVs might make streaming content a little less intuitive, but at least you can rest assured that your display won't be plotting to murder you in your sleep. Quantum Singularity Dots Quantum dots were big at CES this year, but it's only inevitable that manufacturers will have to kick things up a notch. Sure, high dynamic range is cool and all, but can it rip open a door through the very fabric of space and time? With each pixel made from a tiny black hole, Quantum Singularity Dot TVs promise to offer a home theater experience like no other. Think those 'Hobbit' movies are too long now? Wait until you watch them through the time altering qualities of a collapsed star. By the time Bilbo reaches the Misty Mountains, your family will have died of old age. And by the time the credits roll, the zombie apocalypse will be in full swing. Decorative Tube TV With smartphones, tablets, and internet streaming services, the reality is that most young people these days don't even own a TV. But what do millennials love even more than constant mobile entertainment? Irony and nostalgia. Introducing the Decorative Tube TV. It's just like the one you grew up watching in the early 90s… because it is. Rescued from a landfill located behind an abandoned Circuit City, the Decorative Tube TV will bring back countless memories of classic Nickelodeon cartoons and TGIF sitcoms. And best of all? It doesn't work. Because who wants a TV that actually works? That's so mainstream. So, there you have it. Curved TVs don't look so bad now, do they? What do you think about our awful home theater gimmicks and products? Do you have any truly terrible ideas of your own? Sound off in the forums!Posted Wed Feb 25, 2015 at 11:00 AM PST by: -
LG Announces Dual Strategy for Premium TV Market with OLED & ColorPrime 4K Ultra HD Models[teaser]The manufacturer hopes to capture the premium TV market with its upcoming displays. [/teaser] LG has detailed its latest plan for premium display sales. The company's dual strategy includes a new lineup of OLED and ColorPrime 4K TVs. "We're excited to be introducing a comprehensive range of distinctive TV products that deliver stunning picture quality to communicate what we mean by premium," said Brian Kwon, president and CEO of LG Electronics Home Entertainment Company. "LG OLED TVs and PRIME UHD TVs reinforce the brand as synonymous with picture quality. With these unparalleled home entertainment solutions, LG is finding itself in a very favorable position as the premium TV market leader." As part of the upcoming strategy, LG will release new 55-inch, 65-inch, and 77-inch OLED models with curved and flat-screen options. To highlight the benefits of OLED technology, the company has revealed its "ABCD" marketing concept, emphasizing OLED's superior viewing Angles, Black levels, Colors, and Design. In addition to OLED, the new LG Prime lineup of IPS LCD sets are also geared toward the premium market. The 55-inch 55UF9500 features ColorPrime technology that uses different LED phosphor colors to create an expanded color gamut. LG's new premium 4K Ultra HD displays will hit the global market in March. Official prices have not been announced yet, but rumored price tags for the upcoming OLED displays have been leaked. Source: LGPosted Tue Feb 24, 2015 at 06:00 PM PST by: -
Amazon Offers 15 Percent off All Fire Tablets Today Only![teaser]Today only, Amazon is offering discounts on its Fire tablets! [/teaser] To celebrate being rated number one in customer satisfaction by 2014 ACSI Internet Retail Industry research, Amazon is running a one-day 15 percent off sale on its Fire tablet lineup. Fire HDX 8.9 Tablet - Currently $322 ($57 off). Fire HDX 7" Tablet - Currently $199 ($40 off). Fire HD 7 Tablet - Currently $118 ($21 off). Fire HD 6 Tablet - Currently $84 ($15 off). Fire HD 7 Kids Edition Tablet - Currently $160 ($29 off). Fire HD 6 Kids Edition Tablet - Currently $126 ($23 off). These deals will only be active for the rest of the day. Make sure to stay tuned to High-Def Digest for more sales and special promotions!Posted Tue Feb 24, 2015 at 12:30 PM PST by: -
Plex Updates Roku Streaming Media App with New Design and Improved Navigation[teaser]The personal media streaming app has a brand new look on Roku players. [/teaser] Plex has announced an update for its Plex channel on Roku devices. The new version offers a revamped interface with smoother and faster navigation. The updated app is now available as a Plex Pass preview private Roku channel. Users can download the preview by logging into their Roku account at https://owner.roku.com/add/PlexPass. Then they simply need to click the "Yes, Add Channel" button. After that, they can return to their Roku and go to the 'Settings > System > System Update' section to choose "Check Now" in order to update their channels. Users can currently enjoy the preview app alongside the official channel. The preview version offers a new design, smoother navigation, video & music playback, a new discovery interface, cinema trailers, Plex Companion, and Plex Home. More features like Photos, playlists, search, SD resolution support, and channels will be added soon. The new Plex Pass preview channel is available on the Roku 1, the Roku 2, the Roku 3, the Roku HDMI Streaming Stick, and the Roku TV. Once the preview period ends, existing Plex on Roku users will automatically get the updated channel. Source: PlexPosted Tue Feb 24, 2015 at 11:00 AM PST by: -
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Possible LG 2015 4K Ultra HD OLED TV Prices Revealed, Models Could Start at $4,999[teaser]Retailer leaks have unveiled potential pricing for LG's upcoming OLED displays.[/teaser] As reported by CNET, New York based stores B&H and Adorama have posted listings for several upcoming LG 4K OLED TV models (several appear to have since been taken down, however). Though pricing has not been officially confirmed, these leaks likely offer a good idea for what consumers can expect to pay for these sets. All models included on the retailers' sites feature Ultra HD resolutions and OLED panels with sizes ranging from 55-inches to 77-inches along with several curved and flat screen options. Here's a rundown of the leaked price listings: 77-inch Curved-Screen 77EG7800 - $24,999 55-inch Curved-Screen 55EG9600 - $5,499 65-inch Flat-Screen 65EF9800 - $9,999 65-inch Flat-Screen 65EF9500 - $7,999 55-inch Flat-Screen 55EF9500 - $4,999 Release dates have not been announced, but one of the listings indicated an expected availability of March 9 for the 55EG9600. LG will likely reveal official pricing and availability within the coming weeks. Meanwhile, the company's current 4K 65EC9700 and 1080p 55EC930, 55EA9800, and 55EA8800 OLED TVs are on sale now. Sources: CNET, B&H, AdoramaPosted Mon Feb 23, 2015 at 08:00 PM PST by: -
B&O Play Launches Beolit 15 Bluetooth Speaker for $599[teaser]The company has released a new portable speaker. [/teaser] B&O Play has announced the launch of their latest audio product. Joining the previously released Beolit 12 and BeoPlay A2, the new Beolit 15 offers a more powerful Bluetooth speaker experience. "At B&O PLAY we constantly push ourselves to innovate – but also to constantly refine the best to be even better," says Henrik Taudor f Lorensen, Head of B&O PLAY and continues, "Beolit 12 was released in 2012 and is a great and iconic product. With Beolit 15, we have taken that product and refined it even further – completely redesigning the acoustic structure and bringing in many of our recent innovations like True360 sound and great battery life. We believe it is the best music system of its kind in the market." The Beolit 15 uses a five-and-a-half-inch long-stroke full-range driver, three 37mm mid-tweeters, and two four-inch passive bass radiators to create True360 audio in all directions. In addition, the speaker offers Blutooth 4.0 aptX support for high quality audio streaming from various devices, and a rechargeable Li-ion battery for up to 24 hours of playback on a single charge. Finally, the Beolit features a handsome, durable design with anodized aluminum, a non-slip rubber tray on top of the speaker ideal for holding mobile devices, and a full-grain premium leather strap. B&O Play's Beolit 15 will be available in March in Natural Champagne, Polar Blue, and Shaded Rosa for a suggested retail price of $599. Sources: B&O Play, Beolit 15Posted Mon Feb 23, 2015 at 04:13 PM PST by: -
LG Details New Mid-Range HD Smartphone Lineup[teaser]Two new mid-range HD smartphones have been revealed. [/teaser] LG has announced its latest lineup of mobile handsets. The LG Magna and LG Spirit are both mid-range smartphones with several features usually found on premium models. "LG's new mid-range collection continues our legacy of offering amazing smartphones at reasonable prices," said Juno Cho, president and CEO of LG Electronics Mobile Communications Company. "For millions of consumers around the world, the deciding factor on which smartphone to buy isn't how fast or how big it is but how balanced it is. With our new mid-range smartphones, more and more customers will be looking to LG for their next handsets." The LG Magna features a 5-inch HD in-cell touch display with 294ppi. Under the hood, the device is powered by a 1.2GHz or 1.3GHz Quad-Core CPU (depending on the market), 1GB of RAM, and a 2,540mAh battery. A rear 8MP camera and a front 5MP camera are included as well. Meanwhile, the LG Spirit features a 4.7-inch HD in-cell touch display with 312ppi. Under the hood, the smartphone is powered by a 1.2GHz or 1.3GHz Quad-Core CPU (depending on the market), 1GB of RAM, and a 2,100mAh battery. An 8MP or 5MP rear camera (depending on the market), and a 1 MP front camera as included as well. In addition, both smartphones feature subtle curved-screen designs, include 8GB of storage, and run Android 5.0. Both models will be available in LTE and 3G versions. Pricing has not been detailed yet, but the smartphones will begin their global rollout to select markets this week. Likewise, LG will be demoing the devices at the Mobile World Congress on March 2-5 in Barcelona. Source: LGPosted Mon Feb 23, 2015 at 12:30 PM PST by: -
HDD Gear Deal Spotlight: Up to $300 off A/V Receivers including Dolby Atmos Model![teaser]For a limited time, Amazon is offering discounts on select receivers! [/teaser] As part of the online retailer's ongoing electronics sales and promotions, Amazon is running limited time deals on receivers from Sony, Yamaha, and Denon, including a Dolby Atmos model. Denon AVR-X4100W 7.2 Channel A/V Receiver with Dolby Atmos - Currently $1,199 (20 percent off). Yamaha RX-V577 7.2 Channel A/V Receiver - Currently $450 (18 percent off). Sony STR-DN850 7.2 Channel 4K A/V Receiver - Currently $423 (15 percent off). Sony STR-DH740 7.2 Channel 4K A/V Receiver - Currently $219 (27 percent off). As always, these deals will only be active for a limited time while supplies last. Make sure to stay tuned to High-Def Digest for more sales and special promotions!Posted Fri Feb 20, 2015 at 04:30 PM PST by: -
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Rumored VIZIO 4K Ultra HD M-Series TV Prices & Details Revealed, Models Start at $599[teaser]Pricing for VIZIO's upcoming M-Series 4K lineup has been leaked. [/teaser] According to a report from HD Guru, prices and first details have been unveiled for VIZIO's latest affordable 4K Ultra HD TVs. The new 2015 M-Series features a resolution of 3840 x 2160 and full array local dimming technology. The 65-inch model is expected to include 32 active LED zones for deep black levels and a 10-bit panel. 8 models will be available in sizes ranging from 43-inches to 80-inches. Unlike other brands, VIZIO appears to be committed to flat-screen displays rather than curved designs. Rumored prices and release windows for the upcoming 4K M-Series displays are as follows: 80-inch M80-C3 - $3,999 June 75-inch M75-C1 - $2,999, Fall 2015 70-inch M70-C3 - $2,199, Spring 65-inch M65-C1 - $1,699, Spring 60-inch M60-C3 - $1,499, Spring 55-inch M55-C2 - $999, Spring 50-inch M50-C1 - $899, Spring 43-inch M43-C1 - $599, Spring These prices have yet to be confirmed, but an official announcement is expected in April. Sources: HD Guru via CNETPosted Fri Feb 20, 2015 at 02:30 PM PST by: -
DirecTV Reportedly Restores HD Channels after Technical Issues[teaser]Several previously lost HD channels have reportedly been restored. [/teaser] Early this morning, DirecTV sent out an email to its customers apologizing for the loss of several HD channel signals. In addition, the technical failure also suspended the DirecTV Cinema in HD format. According to a report from TV Predictions, the issue resulted in the loss of about 40 HD channels, including MSNBC, The Weather Channel, Turner Classic Movies, the Cooking Channel, Nat Geo, and TV Land. The signal failure is likely attributable to technical issues related to the company's 103 satellite which was responsible for broadcasting the missing stations. The outages began on Thursday afternoon, but as of 7:30 am EST this morning, HD service has reportedly been restored to most customers and channels. DirecTV has yet to officially confirm that the problem has been solved. If the error persists, DirecTV recommends that users switch to the SD alternatives for the missing channels while they work out their technical issues. Sources: DirecTV, TV PredictionsPosted Fri Feb 20, 2015 at 11:15 AM PST by:
