Editorial: HDTVs announced at CES 2012

Smart TVs or HDTVs have always been predominant at the CES every year and this year was no different and we saw some really impressive TVs coming our way with 3D capabilities, voice and gesture control, new display technologies, and apps. Here in this editorial we take a look at the most notable HDTVs announced at the CES:

• LG’s 84-inch 4K 3D TV

  
  

LG’s smart TV offering this year is its giant 84-inch 4K 3D television. It features 3D, Smart TV apps, Magic Remote with voice and motion control, 3840-by-2160 resolution The giant television not only features a resolution four times that of 1080p, it is also sporting LG’s new Magic Remote that features voice and motion control. The pricing and release date aren’t available yet.

• Sharp’s 80-inch 3D LED LCD TV

 

This 80-inch monster from Sharp includes access to Sharp’s SmartCentral interface featuring apps from Facebook, Hulu, Netflix and YouTube. It features 3D, 1080p, 240Hz refresh rate, LED backlighting, SmartCentral apps, and built-in Wi-Fi. This set is slated to debut in April for $6,500.

• Lenovo’s 84-inch K91 Smart TV

 

The 55″ Smart TV is powered by QualComm’s 8060 Snapdragon dual-core CPU and blends the lines between traditional TV, Video On Demand and internet applications. It runs on Android Ice Cream Sandwich.

• Vizio’s 65-inch Google TV

 

Vizio is getting into Google TV with several HDTVs, one Blu-ray Player, and one set-top box. The HDTV features Google TV 2.0, 3D, 1080p,120Hz refresh rate, VIA Plus apps, QWERTY keyboard/touchpad remote, 4 x HDMI, 2 x USB, 802.11 b/g/n Wi-Fi

• Panasonic’s 65-inch Plasma TV

  
  

Panasonic’s flagship VT50 Plasma impressed at CES during a year when OLED and other display technologies dominated the annual tradeshow. The Plasma TV features 1080p, 3D, 2D-to-3D conversion, VIERA Connect Internet apps, web browser, built-in Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity, touch pad remote control, 4 x HDMI, 3 x USB.

Samsung’s LED LCD TV

Samsung’s flagship HDTV line for 2012, ES8000 series, includes screen sizes up to 75 inches, a wide range of apps, and a dual-core processor for app multitasking. You can also use voice and motion control gestures for changing channels, adjusting the volume and navigating app menus.

• LG’s 55-inch OLED TV

  
  

 

At just 4mm thin, this television almost disappears from side-on. The first 55-inch organic light-emitting diode television revealed at CES offers more than just a skinny form, however, with benefits including brighter colors, better contrast, and more energy efficiency.

• Samsung 55-Inch Super OLED TV

  
  

Samsung released its OLED television with a slightly different form. The slender screen is thicker than its rival, at 7.6mm, but Samsung claims it is superior as it eliminates the need for a color filter. The 55-inch television will feature an internet connection for Smart TV, a built-in camera to enable gesture controls and 3D functionality.

• Sony’s Crystal LED TV

  
  

Sony presented a 55-inch TV using what it called “Crystal LED” technology. This uses direct-view red, green, and blue LEDs on the front of the TV—the kind of lights typically used in big displays often made for signage or billboards but shrunk to fit into a 55-inch display. It involves a total of six million little lights (1920-by-1280 by 3 colors).