February, 2008 | HD TV PROFESSOR

Month: February 2008

Reader Question: The Fate of TV Radios?

February 15, 2008 | Author: Ibex Marketing

Q: I have not been able to find anyone who feels confident with their answer to this question and hope you can help me. I have three radios that receive audio only TV signals. Will I be able to receive audio only TV signals on these radios after the switch to digital? I talked with the FCC and they weren't sure. It would be helpful to know if the TV...

Another DVD Format?

February 14, 2008 | Author: Ibex Marketing

Here's just what we need: another optical disc format. On Monday, Vmedia Research announced their new miniature Vmedia disc that is only 32 mm in diameter; that's slightly more than 1.25 inches, or about one-fourth the size of a standard DVD or CD. This new format is designed for use in mobile devices such as multimedia cell phones. It is designed to hold full-length movies at 576p resolution (less than...

Plasma Revenues Decline

February 13, 2008 | Author: Ibex Marketing

Now, here, you see, it takes all the running you can do, to keep in the same place. -- The Red Queen, "Through the Looking Glass" by Lewis Carroll. The plasma manufacturers must be feeling as though they have fallen through the looking glass themselves. According to a release from industry watcher DisplayBank, plasma panel shipments increased 19.4% from 2006 to 2007, from 10.1 to 12.1 million pieces. Not too...

Two More Nails for HD DVD

February 12, 2008 | Author: Ibex Marketing

Yesterday, Netflix issued a press release stating that "as of now it will purchase only Blu-ray discs and will phase out by roughly year's end the alternative high-def format, HD DVD, developed by Toshiba." The press release cited the fact that "the industry now [has] picked a winner," with four out of six major US movie studios publishing exclusively on Blu-ray. It makes good sense that Netflix would like to...

What’s Wrong with This Ad?

February 11, 2008 | Author: Ibex Marketing

Radio Shack has apparently all but given up on their HDTV strategy. The retail chain appears to have returned to its focus on consumer electronic gadgets and accessories. However, their Sunday sales circulars still include the occasional ad for an HDTV, such as the one below that appeared in yesterday's flyer: Yes, this is an ad for a 19" Viewsonic LCD HDTV. Yes, it has one of those weirdo computer...

Where’s the HD?

February 8, 2008 | Author: Ibex Marketing

We know by now that about half the people with HDTVs don't have HDTV service, even though about half of them think that they do. So it comes as no surprise that the video services are tripping all over each other to claim that they have the most (or best or whatever) HD content. Who could miss DirecTV's promises to have 100 HD channels by the end of 2007? (They...

SuperReturns

February 7, 2008 | Author: Ibex Marketing

A report by Dealerscope describes the apparently widespread practice of "wardrobing", in which customers buy a product with the intent of using it and then returning it for a refund after their need for the item is over. Apparently, this practice has grown in association with a single event: the SuperBowl. Customers "purchase" a large screen HDTV and take it home to watch the Big Game, and then come Monday,...

EPA Adopts New Energy Star Specs

February 6, 2008 | Author: Ibex Marketing

The Environmental Protection Agency first introduced the Energy Star program in 1992 to encourage the development of more energy efficient personal computers and computer monitors. The program has since expanded to cover more than 50 product categories. Yesterday, the agency released their final version 3.0 requirements for televisions. In order to qualify for the Energy Star label, all TVs must have a standby mode that draws less than one watt....

How Many HDTVs Do You Have?

February 5, 2008 | Author: Ibex Marketing

Just a few years ago, the idea of having more than one HDTV in your home seemed to be reserved for the mega-rich like Bill Gates. Falling prices and changing expectations have changed all that. A survey reported by IDC last month revealed that consumers are adding flat panel TVs in places where they did not have a television before: kitchen, bathroom, or even the garage. The survey also revealed...

SuperBowl Ads

February 4, 2008 | Author: Ibex Marketing

Did you miss Stewie duking it out with Underdog for the giant Coke bottle? Is everyone around the water cooler still laughing about the eTrade baby? Want to see Shaq win a horserace? Whether you watched the SuperBowl last night or not, you may be interested in knowing that some of the best parts of the evening are available for you to view on the Web: the commercials. The SuperBowl...