| Flat panel TV technologies at a crucial crossroads
Television will dominate the upcoming 2007 Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas this month, as LCD-TV OEMs showcase their latest and greatest products, while providers of other display technologies try to prove that they can remain relevant amid the liquid-crystal deluge. Television display technologies such as microdisplay Rear Projection (RPTV) are entering a crucial time when they must either do or die. One slip in deadlines could send the RPTV segment spinning into an unrecoverable decline in market share. For Plasma Display Panel (PDP) televisions, the main challenge is continuing to weather the onslaught of LCD-TVs in the 40-inch and larger market. The longer PDP-TV can hold out, the longer OEMs will continue to make money selling such sets, assuring their continued support for the technology.
The Last-Minute HD Super Bowl Party Guide
Sure, you can be a regular Joe and set up a couch and chairs around a crappy projection TV with a tiny grill on the deck, but who wants to look like a loser? If you really want to impress your friends and family, simply follow some steps and become the Unofficial Lord of the Party. The latest technology and gadgets are key to an awesome Super Bowl party this Sunday. Step One: TV There is a lot more that goes into selecting a TV for the Super Bowl than you may think. If you are thinking about going low-def, then close the browser now, because you have lost all of my respect and I would prefer you not reading my guide. Fortunately, this year CBS has the honors of broadcasting the Super Bowl. It will, of course, be in HD. I like to call this the first year the Super Bowl will truly be in HD.
The game's in HD. Why aren't the ads?
For people who watch Sunday's Super Bowl on high-definition TV sets, the commercials will look as sharp and lifelike as the game itself -- except when they don't. Despite the Super Bowl's reputation as the nation's top venue for TV advertising, some ads for the game will not be broadcast in HD. That could mean a jarring visual experience for football fans with HD sets, who'll sometimes switch from crisp, wide-screen game images to fuzzy-looking ads that won't even fill the screen. Still, the Super Bowl attracts a much sharper-looking selection of commercials than other high-definition broadcasts. Broadcasting & Cable magazine reported last year that only about 20 percent of TV ads were in HD. But in last year's Super Bowl, broadcast over the ABC television network, over half the ads were in high-definition, and that number will probably increase in 2007.
Super Bowl in HD: What TV is the right pick?
Sales of high-definition, liquid crystal display and plasma televisions are up at Brazoria County stores this week, in large part boosted by residents seeking the best-quality picture for professional sports biggest event of the year, Super Bowl XLI in Miami. When the game between the Chicago Bears and Indianapolis Colts kicks off about 5:25 p.m. Sunday, Lake Jackson residents David and Sandra Newton will be able to tune in on a new 64-inch LCD HDTV they purchased this week. I dont know what made us buy a new TV, but ever since I saw how clear the (HDTV) picture is, I will never go back, Sandra Newton said. Best Buy in Pearland along with the Target and Rex Audio and Video stores in Lake Jackson have noticed an increase in television sales this week.
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