The Super Bowl Won't Be Broadcast in 3D?

There has recently been some news that was released that might have quite a few football fans disappointed. If you were getting excited about seeing the Green Bay Packers and the Pittsburgh Steeler’s Super Bowl showdown on February 6 on a 3D TV, I’m sorry to disappoint you, but that won’t be happening. Super Bowl XLV will not be broadcast in 3D.

Consumer Reports have confirmed that Fox Sports, the executive rights holder of the Super Bowl game this year, will not be offering viewers the opportunity to watch the big game in 3D. So don’t plan on running out and buying a 3D TV for the game, unless you simply want a new TV for the Super Bowl and happen to want 3D as well.

So, why is Fox not broadcasting the biggest game of the year in 3D? Well, honestly, it’s really not a huge surprise. Over the past year, there has definitely been a low adoption rate of 3D HDTVs. That low adoption rate is really one of Fox Sports main reasons for not broadcasting the game in 3D. The network stated, "Unfortunately, given current levels of adoption, there is no business model that makes sense for producing a show as complex as the Super Bowl in 3D at this time. 3D requires an entirely separate production at significant expense without generating incremental revenue to offset the additional costs. We prefer to focus all our energy on doing the best possible HD production possible, which this year features more than 40 cameras," said the network.

In the past year more than a million 3D HDTVs were sold, which wasn’t as many as the TV industry had hoped, but it still shows that 3D is definitely beginning to integrate itself into the home. 3D is an industry that continues to expand. In 2010 there were a lot of very successful 3D movies in theaters including Toy Story 3 and Alice and Wonderland. In 2011 there will be at least 16 3D films in theater, and most, if not all of them, should be released on DVD in 3D as well. TV channels are also slowly beginning to broadcast in 3D. As of February 14, ESPN 3D will begin broadcasting 24/7 in 3D.

Fox Sports obviously didn’t feel that broadcasting Super Bowl XLV in 3D was important or profitable enough, but you can’t help but wonder if things might be different if ESPN had gotten the broadcasting rights. Oh well, I guess we will never know.

So, no you can’t watch the big game in 3D, but if you’re still looking for a 3D TV, here are a few of the top 3D HDTVs available.

Panasonic TC-P54VT25
$2,795 from Amazon.com

Panasonic offers a variety of different features with the TC-P54VT25. It has an incredibly vibrant display and offers very realistic 3D and 2D images. The only thing that I can really be critical about when it comes to this 3D HDTV is that there is no 2D to 3D conversion, but besides that, it is an excellent option.

LG 55LX9500
$3,399 from Amazon.com

LG created a masterpiece when it comes to the 55LX9500. It is incredibly thin and has excellent picture quality. The problem with the 3D TV by LG is that it doesn’t come with a pair of active shutter glasses, which really stinks. Another issue is that it is very expensive, but if you can get around that, it is a wonderful choice.

Sony XBR-60LX900
$4,249 from Amazon.com

Sony’s XBR-60LX900 3D HDTV is a fantastic TV. It offers excellent SD and HD content display, as well as having very nice 3D effects. It also is extremely thin and quite chic. The issue is that like the LG 55LX9500, the XBR-60LX900 is very pricey and may simply be too expensive for buyers.

Samsung UN55C9000
$3,499 from Amazon.com

The UN55C9000 3D TV from Samsung is a great TV. It is incredibly thin and light for a 55-inch TV. The issue with the TV is that the 3D images simply are not as immersive as were expected, but it’s still a fantastic option if you’re looking for a 3D TV.

It’s kind of disappointing that the Packers and the Steelers big game won’t be available in 3D, but even though you won’t need a 3D TV for the game, that doesn’t mean you should put off looking for one if you’ve been thinking about making the jump to 3D. These four 3D HDTVs are the top of the line. They are some great options that you should definitely look into.

Sony's New 65-inch Bravia 3D TV

The hot word at CES 2011 was undoubtedly 3D. There wasn't a booth you could walk into without hearing or seeing something about 3D. Even companies that had no 3D products whatsoever were using it to draw people in. If there was one company, however, that was severely showing off their 3D technology, it was Sony. Their new Bravia line of displays is what they were mainly touting which includes 27 new models of LCD panels.

The biggest and baddest of the group is definitely the Bravia XBR-65HX292, an LED backlit LCD panel with everything you could want in a t.v. Sony has decided to go with local dimming as opposed to edge lit LED technology which makes for a slightly deeper display. Sony calls it Sony's Intelligent Peak LED which gives you the ability to turn the backlight off in specific areas. This gives your LCD panel plasma-like contrast and black levels. Sony matches this with their MotionFlow XR 960 backlight control which precisely synchronizes the dimming with the liquid crystal movement in order to reduce motion blur.

This display also has an integrated Wi-Fi receiver so you don't have to use a wired connection, although the display does have Ethernet ports. Through this you can have access to Sony's Bravia Internet video and Qriocity. Sony's Bravia Internet Video Platform comes with Sony's Video on Demand and Music Unlimited powered by Qriocity as well as Pandora, Netflix, Hulu Plus, Amazon, Video on Demand, YouTube, Slacker Internet Radio, Crackle and Blip.tv. Video on Demand powered by Qriocity is a premium video streaming service that gives you instant access to hit movies, where Music Unlimited powered by Qriocity is a cloud-based music streaming service that allows users to have access at any time to a catalog of over 6 million music tracks from all the major labels.

Customers can also use Skype if they want to, but they will need to buy a camera and microphone separately. Sony's camera and mic will allow you to enjoy free widescreen Skype-to-Skype video calls anywhere. However, the one thing everybody is talking about is the 3D. A lot of people were talking about the new polarized glasses, but this display will be using Active Shutter glasses. Unfortunately, these are sold separately and will probably be pretty expensive. Most Active Shutter glasses on the market today are at least $100.

One interesting thing in this new display is the X-Reality PRO Engine. According to Sony, "The X-Reality PRO Engine is a two-chip digital video processor that optimizes high definition content, compressed HD signals, standard definition and other sources including low resolution Internet content. Utilizing a vast database of "ideal" signal patterns developed by analyzing and indexing an enormous library of film and video, the X-Reality PRO Engine compares incoming signals pixel-by-pixel with ideal scenes to display vivid and detailed images."

It is still unclear as to what this is or how it will work, but it may be something you or your installer may want to turn off. This display is custom installation friendly and has key features like rear IR-input and a two-way RS232c connection for easier integration with third party control systems. It can also stream media from a USB port. Sony's Media Remote app is also pretty cool. It gives you simple operation and allows you to search for internet content. A media bar is also included which resembles the one for the PS3, and the new UI provides uninterrupted viewing by disseminating the video and placing key menu functions along the bottom and side of the picture frame.

Overall this new display looks really good. Sony is known for making top of the line devices and their displays are usually something to talk about.

Source: Audioholics

Boxee Box Soon to Feature Vudu and Netflix

On Friday, December 31, Boxee announced that it has had to delay the release of Vudu and Netflix on its Boxee Box until later in January. The company had been saying that they would release the services by the end of the year, but obviously that hasn’t happened.

So, some people may be confused and ask: what is Boxee? According to the Boxee website, “Boxee is the best way to watch movies, TV shows and clips from the Internet on your TV.” Of course, a device is necessary for you to use Boxee’s services to perform all of these actions. They continued saying, “You can buy a device powered by Boxee or build your own Boxee using a new or used computer.”

A Boxee Box is defined on the Boxee website as “the first major device powered by Boxee on the market. It’s an all-in-one box specialized to run Boxee and it comes with a useful QWERTY remote -- all eliminating the need to use a computer to run Boxee on your TV.”

Boxee chief executive Avner Ronen apologized to Boxee users about the delay of Vudu and Netflix services via a blog post starting with, “We’re sorry that VUDU and Netflix will not be available on the Boxee Box until January.” Ronen continued saying, “I know many users will be upset. I am disappointed that we couldn't make it happen in time for the end of the year. However, I'd ask that you put your faith in us.”

"While both services are up and running in our offices on the Boxee Box, we need some more time to test each application to make sure they are ready for launch," he continued.

Fortunately, the company says that Vudu should be available sometime this week, but a “brand new version” of Netflix is not set to be released until the end of January now.

"I'd like to think you chose Boxee because we offer something different, in our approach, in our commitment, in our passion, in the way we communicate (whether its good stuff or bad), and in how quickly we move on the stuff that matters most to our users," Ronen wrote.

The Boxee Box first started shipping in early November. At that time, services like Netflix, Vudu, and Hulu Plus were all missing from the lineup of services. Now, obviously, Vudu will be available in the next few days and Netflix is on the way, but there has been no set date for when Hulu Plus will be made available on the Boxee Box. Boxee has said that they are currently working with Hulu, but so far there is not a firm date. Unfortunately, the December firmware update didn’t really provide any answers for Boxee users either.

The December update did, however, fix a few bugs and add a few new features. Some of the added features included the ability to scroll through files now organized A-to-Z, an option to enable hourly scans of connected content (like USB content), more filters and browsing options to assist with searches, and new adjustments that the user can utilize to improve visibility when they are wearing 3D glasses.

As I mentioned, the update also fixed quite a few bugs that plagued the Boxee Box. It’s a very long list of fixes, but it included fixing issues that popped up concerning hidden wireless networks, fixing the aspect ratio of DVD playback, and fixing de-interlacing problems that occurred when watching 1080i content.

Ronen wrapped up the blog post saying, “Looking back at 2010, it’s hard to believe so much has happened in just 12 months. We are going to be at the CES Show next week and are really excited about 2011. For us it’s going to be about continuing to improve the Boxee software, getting Boxee on additional devices, bringing more content (both in the US and internationally) and making Boxee available on more screens.”

The Boxee Box is currently available for $199 at Amazon.com, Boxee.tv, and various other sites.

I believe that Boxee might have had some issues when it first released the Boxee Box and even now, due to the fact that the device didn’t feature several of the main services that other providers like Apple TV and Logitech’s Revue with Google TV already had. I think they should definitely do much better when these services are added to the Boxee Box. Hopefully, that won’t be too much longer.

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Computer Monitor Causes Airport Scare

A security scare a couple of weeks ago shut down certain parts of the Newark Liberty Airport. Parts of the airport were shut down and evacuated when a checked bag set off a radiation alert. But the holiday travel fiasco only got worse when bomb squad teams were called in to Terminal A at Newark Liberty to investigate a suspicious piece of luggage.

According to passenger Chris Burdette, "They just said there's a security breach of some nature, and we just got piled into that line back there and all we saw was emergency vehicle after emergency vehicle going by, but nobody was telling us what was going on."

Passengers were forced to evacuate the terminal and some were even forced to stand outside in the cold for more than an hour. "We came in a taxi. They just dropped us in the middle of nowhere and we just had to stand there in the cold for 40 minutes," according to Joan Dugan, another passenger at the terminal.

But what caused the scare? According to reports, police flagged a passenger's checked bag due to the fact that it was emitting radiation. However, it was later discovered that the bag simply contained a computer monitor. The weird thing is that computer monitors usually emit only small amounts of radiation. Within an hour the police gave the all-clear.

According to Stan Shores, another passenger, "This is the second time this has happened to us in two consecutive Christmases. It happened to us in Minneapolis so it can happen anywhere." While the delay was frustrating to many and scared many passengers, a lot of people came to the consensus "better safe than sorry".

According to Federal Authorities, the investigation into what exactly happened is still ongoing. The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) stated, in between pat-downs, that the monitor was going to the same destination as its owner and that there was never any danger.

Source: CBS New York

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3D Blu-ray Players from Pioneer...Finally!

3D technology is definitely beginning to take over many different markets including projectors, TVs, gaming systems, Blu-ray players, and more. Everyone seems to be fascinated by the technology. Well, finally, Pioneer is releasing their very first line of 3D capable Blu-ray players, and it really is about time.

The line of Blu-ray players was first introduced at the 2010 CEDIA Expo. They seem to be designed for more high-end users. Pioneer’s website claims that the line was produced “for those who want to recreate a state-of-the-art theatrical experience in the comfort of their own homes.” The Pioneer BDP-430, Pioneer Elite BDP-41FD, and Pioneer Elite BDP-43FD all support HDMI 1.4a, 1080p/24 video playback and plenty of Internet streaming services that are available through a wired Ethernet connection or over Wi-Fi with a separately sold, optional adaptor. The company said that the Blu-ray players were “built with a focus on high quality audio and video reproduction.” They will also seamlessly stream content from Netflix, YouTube, Pandora, and other online services. The company continued saying that additionally their “36-Bit Deep Color support with compatible content and displays features smooth gradation steps with more accurate color precision and adds to overall high quality color reproduction.”

The company is very proud of the fact that all three of their models feature Pioneer’s Precision Quartz Lock System. Pioneer claims that this system eliminates any jitteriness or inconsistencies that could possibly occur when converting a 24 frames per second film to 60 frames per second for the home. Pioneer’s website says, “For convenient integration of personal devices with a home theater system” the company added a feature that allows all of the Blu-ray players to be controlled by an iPhone or iPod Touch via their free Control AV app. The app is available free of charge at the App Store on either the iPhone or iPod Touch or online at www.itunes.com/appstore/.

The two Pioneer Elite models also offer RS-232C connections that allow users to incorporate the players with their own custom-installed home theater system. Users will then be able to control the player through a Control4 or some other home theater control system. The BDP-43FD, the most expensive of the models, features what Pioneer is calling “armored chassis build quality.” What they mean by this is that the player is heavier and sturdier than the other players.

The 3D players also support the very latest high-quality audio formats that include DTS-HD Master Audio and Dolby TrueHD. Certain technology that is exclusive to Pioneer is also supposed to enhance the audio experience, which Pioneer says is “a critical component to complete a fully immersive 3D experience.”

Another great feature that has just been added is the continue mode. This mode allows users to easily resume where they left off when they were previously watching or listening to content. Users can resume playback but only if they do not remove the disc. At first I thought this was a convenient application, but when I found out that you couldn’t take out the disc if you wanted it to work, I was very disappointed. My extremely basic Sony DVD player will pick back up where I left off on a movie when I pop it back into the DVD player even after I have removed it from the player and played other content.

Right now all of the players are available to be shipped out. The Pioneer BDP-430 is available for a suggested retail price of $299, the Pioneer Elite BDP-41FD is available for a suggested retail prices of $399, and the Pioneer Elite BDP-43FD is available for a suggested retail price of $499.

That may seem a little pricey to you, but Pioneer EVP Russ Johnston admittedly said at a Cedia event, “While we are certainly not the least expensive, we are always pursuing our goal to be the best.”

I definitely think that Pioneer is offering some great features on this new line of 3D Blu-ray players, but they do seem a little pricey. The fact that my Sony DVD player has a better continue mode is just slightly disappointing, but maybe to some people features like that don’t matter. There are definitely some appealing features with these Blu-ray players, so I guess it just depends on what you’re looking for in a player and whether or not these Pioneer players offer it.

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Google TV Device Update

On Wednesday, December 15 Google said that they have begun updating their Google TV devices so that their Netflix applications are greatly improved and that they have added voice search via a new Android app.

Google said that the updates would begin this week on Google TV devices including the Logitech Revue, the Sony Internet TV Blu-ray player, and the Google-equipped Bravia HDTV line. The update will not only add several new features, but also it will fix a few bugs.

"It's been two months since the first Google TV device went on sale," a Google TV product manager Larry Yang wrote in a blog post. "Since then, we have been hard at work thinking about how we can make the platform even better for our users. In fact, one of the greatest things about Google TV is that it comes with free, automatic 'over-the-air' software updates that give you the newest features and content as we release them. It's as if Google TV goes up in value over time."

Netflix subscribers should be very excited about the update because before the update, subscribers had to utilize a separate device to be able to add movies to their “Watch Instantly” queue. Now they will be able to go to any movie or show that Netflix offers and watch it instantly or even put it in their queue for later. Netflix will also now recommend films for users to add to their queue of DVDs that they receive via mail.

Google has also added a new movie search feature to their Google TV devices which allows users to have much more useful and relevant movie search results than before. Before the update, if you had searched for “The Lord of the Rings,” you would have been peppered with an array of results. Now with the update, Google has said that the results will be more content focused and will list the different places that users can watch the movies, including Netflix and Amazon’s movie-on-demand service. “You can also read a quick summary, see photos, and find the cast list,” said the official Google blog. “Click on the name of a cast member, and we’ll take you to a new search landing page where you can find other movies featuring that actor.”

Google is also doing a much better job now with some of the functions of their TV services. Users now have a dual-view feature that is fantastic. This gives them the ability to quickly and easily move and resize the integrated windows on their TV while using the Chrome browser. Now you can effortlessly see anything that you wish to view on the screen.

Another great addition that goes along with the newest update is Google’s creation of their own Web application, Google TV Remote. Google says that the application is now available at the Android Market. For those who have a Logitech Revue, this isn’t new important information, but for those who are utilizing the Sony version of Google TV, they will now have the same functionality as the Harmony Remote app. They will be given the ability to control their TV through voice commands, channel surf, or push content from their phone to the screen. “You can now interact with your TV in ways you never have before,” said the Google blog.

Users are still waiting for better playback of media from an external source, but it looks like they will continue to wait because Google didn’t address this issue when they formulated the newest update.

These updates are awesome. They will definitely make the Google TV devices much more convenient and useful. According to the Google blog, the company is “excited to bring you more Google TV updates in the future.”

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Poor Reviews Delay Google TV

CES 2011, the huge upcoming electronics trade show, was supposed to be the huge unveiling of Google's new software for televisions, which would add a bunch of computer elements to the TV including Web video from sources like YouTube. While Google has an exclusive deal with Sony, other TV makers, like Sharp, Toshiba and LG, were supposed to come out with their own versions as well.

However, Google has requested that these other companies delay their premiers in order for Google to refine their software, software that has received mediocre reception so far. This request from Google was shocking to many of the other developers and it illustrates some of the struggles Google faces as it works on expanding into the field of consumer electronics.

What many people may not realize is that Google has a bit of a history when it comes to putting out new products and revising them at the last minute. On the other hand, companies in the consumer electronics market place big bets in order to attract holiday buyers and back-to-school shoppers.

Computer makers waited for Google's Chrome OS software this year in order to ship new types of Web-based laptops. However, Google once again had to delay, causing manufacturers to miss out on this holiday season.

A big win for Google does, however, come in the form of the company's Android software. But the same story follows here as phone makers and computer manufacturers have been forced, once again, to push back plans on tablet designs that are based on a refined version of the Android software which put Apple's iPad on top for this holiday season.

Now, it seems like similar problems are hitting the Google TV. While pushing to improve the less than stellar software, Google appears to be facing the technical challenges that have kept the idea of Web TV becoming mainstream head on. Industry analysts say that Google's abrupt change of plans shows a weakness in Google's business culture around managing their relationships with partners.

According to James L. McQuivey, analyst for Forrester, Google as a company is not a particularly partner-friendly or partner-focused company. Because of the delay it may might take another year before Google TV has a chance to catch fire."

Executives at the television makers stated that they were not reacting to abrupt changes from Google. On the other hand, according to people familiar with what was going on, these manufacturers were definitely caught with their pants down. Google spokeswoman Gina Weakley declined to discuss "rumors and speculation" about unannounced products.

According to Ms. Weakley, "Our long-term goal is to collaborate with a broad community of consumer electronics manufacturers to help drive the next-generation TV-watching experience, and we look forward to working with other partners to bring more devices to market in the coming years."

The first Google TVs were shipped back in October, according to the deal with Sony, which saw 24" models starting at $600 and up to $1,400 for a 46". Sony, as well as Logitech, sell complimentary appliances which allow people to tap into Google TV software without replacing their TVs.

The only manufacturer that appears to be an entrant to the Google TV market at CES 2011 is Samsung who will present two appliances which are similar to those from Logitech and Sony. Vizio also plans on demonstrating its version of Google TV, however, they will do it with private demonstrations on the show floor.

It is surprising how much the Google TV products are like computers. They run on Intel's Atom chips and can process software typically found on PCs. The biggest thing Internet TV promises is the ability to watch any show or movie at any time streamed over the web. However, this is a far, far away reality for Google TV.

People can now pay to watch all of their favorite shows and movies whenever they want to using Netflix or Amazon on Google TV and can watch regular TV shows as well. Major networks, however, are not providing programming on Google TV. NBC, CBS, ABC and Hulu have all blocked people from accessing full episodes of shows via their websites on Google TV.

There are some other things that people may find useless about Google TV as well, like watching YouTube videos and showing off pictures of your family trip to the Zoo on a bigger screen. Monitoring ESPN.com while simultaneously watching the game and updating your Facebook may also be a bit much for your average user.

The one thing Google is most famous for is their search engine, a feature which the company promises to incorporate into Google TV. In contrast with the traditional cable and DVR menus that you are used to using, Google TV allows you to search for the name of a show and see exactly when it is being broadcasted and where it is available online. In addition, you can view links to websites about the show and the actors in it.

According to consumer technology reviewers and early customers, Google TV is not ready for prime time. 38% of shoppers on Amazon only gave the Logitech Revue box 3 stars or less. 19% gave it the lowest possible rating of a one star. Many complaints consisted of it being slow and that it did not offer any more programming or features than some of the other less expensive set-top boxes.

The software in Google TV is fairly complex and requires a remote control that includes a mouse and keyboard. However there are also smaller problems like when the windows to watch TV and browse the internet simultaneously cover up crucial commands. These limitations aside, the major TV manufacturers were prepared to join the party with Google TV. Specifically, they hoped to cover up any sizable lead by Sony.

According to Vice President of Toshiba's Digital Products Division Jeff Barney, "We will not be announcing a Toshiba TV or Blu-ray player or demonstrating the products at CES. We have an understanding with Google about the future product roadmap and will bring the right product out at the right time."

A blog posted by Google last week announced software updates to its TV platform allowing it to include better tools for watching movies and TV shows via Netflix as well as a remote control app built for smartphones running Android software. However, the main updates are still yet to come.

According to McQuivey, "Google needs to learn some of those abilities [partnership skills] - both in terms of partnerships with broadcasters and working with hardware partners. You can give me the recipe for the absolute best chocolate chip cookies in the world, but until I put the ingredients together and bake them at exactly the right temperature for the right time, they're not cookies, and that is where Google TV is."

Big things could come from Google TV if they can get everything down pat. Once they get everything working like it is supposed to then this could be one of the biggest advancements in consumer electronics to date. We can only hope people have not lost interest when that time comes around.

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