Sharp AQUOS 20-inch DX LCD HDTV

Everyone these days is going for one of those fancy new LCD TVs. And why not? There big, shiny, pretty, and new and everybody loves shiny new things. Now, to completely optimize you visual experience, one of the best things to do is to upgrade with a Blu-ray player to watch all your movies in stunning high definition quality. The only problem with this is that most LCD TVs are expensive and most Blu-ray players are expensive, leaving you with a big price to pay if you want the full package. If only there were some way to get them both simultaneously without paying out the wazoo for it!

Well now, thanks to Sharp, there is. Sharp has just released the worlds first 20-inch LCD HDTV with a built-in Blu-ray player. That's right, no more going to the store and having to cough up big bucks to get both a Blu-ray player and an HDTV since Sharp has so nicely integrated them both into the same device. But there is one little catch. Although you have the wonderful convenience of having a Blu-ray player built into your t.v., you will not be able to view your lovely Blu-ray movies in full resolution.

The AQUOS 20-inch DX only comes in with a 1,366 x 768 resolution, which sort of defeats the purpose of the Blu-ray player. This has baffled many consumers worldwide. However, the Blu-ray player is a complete loss. Sharp boasts that the AQUOS DX Blu-ray integration is able to record t.v. programs onto Blu-ray dvd's.

There are some larger models in Sharps arsenal that range up to 52-inches. These larger models are said to have 1,920 x 1,080 pixel resolution, 30W speakers, 9 different inputs, 176 degree viewing angle, and a 2000:1 contrast ratio. These specs are for the 37-inch and up models only however. Any model smaller than 37-inches will have a 1,366 x 768 pixel resolution, 20W speakers, and a 1500:1 contrast ratio like the AQUOS 20-inch DX. You can get these models in either black (LC-20DX1-B) or white (LC-20DX1-W).

This 20-inch model has a great vision with the integrated Blu-ray player but fails to follow through with the necessary resolution to make it worth your while and at a price of $1,593, it doesn't quite seem worth it. But I will leave that decision up to you. The Sharp AQUOS 20-inch DX LCD HDTV ships in Japan at the end of this month with it hitting American store shelves soon after that.

World's Thinnest LCD From LG

It seems like everything we own these days has to be the slimmest or the smallest. We have to have the smallest phones, the slimmest computer and now even the slimmest t.v. With such an emphasis on size, there are different opportunities for things to happen. One of which being the goal of having the "Worlds Thinnest LCD". With their new 42in and 47in LCD tv's, LG has accomplished the feat of world's thinnest LCD.

These new tv's are the thinnest 1080p LCD TV's to use edge-lit LED backlights. These tiny tots come in at an incredible 5.9mm (0.23in) of thickness. Considering these tv's are made by LG, you can bet that the company is going to incorporate some of their signature components into the tv's. Added into the tv's is LG Display's LGS, or Light Guide Sheet, Technology. This incorporation cut the thickness in half compared to the typical LGP, or Light Guide Plates.

The tv's do pretty well performance wise. They both have an improved color gamut switching from the 72% NTSC, which was standard, to 80% NTSC. The tv's have a motion picture response time (MPRT) of 8ms. This is due to the incorporation of 120Hz technology, which reduces motion blur. Both the 42in and the 47in come in with 178/178 viewing angles, 450 cd/m2 brightness, and 10-bit LCD panels. The 47in model consumes roughly 130W of power and the 42in consumes 110W.

If your worried about transporting these tv's or mounting them on your wall, thinking they are too heavy, then I can tell you there is nothing to worry about. The 42in model weighs in at around 13.42lbs (6.1kg) with the 47in coming in at 16.06lbs (7.3kg). This is half the weight of all the typical LCD TV's on the market that also use CCFL backlights.

These tv's are definitley slim. But is slim always better? I guess we will find out when these hit store shelves later on this year.

Analog to Digital TV Transition - What You Need to Know

By June 12, 2009 every full-power television station in the United States will be mandated by law to broadcast exclusively in a digital format. For the millions of people in the United States still using analog TV's, there is no need to worry about your TV set becoming obsolete, but there are steps you will need to take in order to continue using your current analog set. This includes using a digital-to-analog converter box and connecting to a subscription service such as cable or satellite TV. Of course your analog set will continue to work with gaming consoles, VCRs and DVD players other similar products.

Digital Television, also known as DTV, is an innovative type of broadcasting technology that provides clearer pictures and sound when compared to analog signals and also allows for more programming choices on your television. For example, an analog signal is limited to providing only one program at a time while a digital signal is able to offer multiple Standard Definition (SD) digital programs simultaneously or a single 1080p High Definition (HD) program. DTV also allows stations to offer improved picture and enhanced audio such as surround sound straight to your TV.

In addition the switch to DTV will offer a number of public benefits. This includes freeing up parts of the broadcasting spectrum to allow for more public safety communications such as police, fire, and rescue teams. Some of the spectrum will also be auctioned off to companies that will be able to provide consumers with more advanced wireless services for phones and internet. On top of this broadcasting companies will be able to offer interactive video and data services that simply are not possible with current analog technology.

For those of you wondering if you have to wait until after June 12, 2009 to begin watching DTV, the answer is no. Digital television is available now and you are already using DTV if you subscribe to any high definition or multicast programming from any of your local broadcasting stations.