Toshiba announced today that their new F1 HDTV series will be available soon. The series includes two new TVs, the 55F1 and the 46F1. Both displays include LED technology, a 5000:1 contrast ratio, and 1080p HD (1920 x 1080) resolution. The only real difference is that they measure 55 inches and 46 inches, respectively. These displays also feature 3D technology and can also support 2D-to-3D conversions. The only ports that were announced at this time include a USB port and four HDMI ports. The LED edgelight technology allows the screen to use a lot less energy. The F1 series is expected to release in October and they will retail for about $4900 and $3760.

[via Flatpanels HD]

It looks like 3D technology might be on its way out the door sooner than expected. According to a survey from Deliotte in the UK, only 2% of the populous are intending to buy 3DTVs within the next year. The survey included more than 4199 respondents and out of them only 89 of them responded yes to 3DTVs. Also depressing to the TV industry is that only 7% are looking to buy a new HDTV within the coming year. “It is remarkable how conservative people’s predictions for their own technology spending habits over the coming year were. Belts have tightened after the economic downturn and with little understanding of what lies ahead, consumers are still being cautious,” said Deloitte’s media director Paul Lee. The director also states that this survey is very similar to those conducted in Japan where it has been stated there too that 3DTVs are not gaining any popularity.

[via Game Daily]

The latest group of developers to announce a glasses free 3D system is NHK (the Japanese Broadcasting Corporation). Their system uses a technique that they say is 100 years old. It uses a large (400 x 250) lens array to create glasses-free 3D images. The new system is very similar to a DLP HDTV in that it uses a projector to display onto a diffusion screen. Between the screen and projector are identical convex lens array that when uses give a slightly different viewing angle of the same image. “The greatest advantage of our system is its suitability for the broadcasting system, i.e., glasses-free display, full-parallax (viewers can enjoy 3D images from any posture) and real-time motion imaging,” Jun Arai of NHK.

[via 3D Display Info]

Westinghouse is at it again with a new display. Today, the company released their LD-4255, which measures 42”, a 1080p HD (1920 x 1080) resolution, and a 100000:1 contrast ratio. The displays also come with a 120Hz refresh rate and use the latest LED lamp technology. LEDs have been proven to provide low energy consumption with increased image quality and brightness. The connection panel includes an antenna, composite, dual HDMi, a component, RGB, and several audio ports as well. The LD-4255 retails for about $749 and are available now through select retailers.

[via Westinghouse]

A few weeks ago, LG Electronics announced that they were going to display a new OLED display at IFA. This new display is their largest OLED screen measuring 31” diagonally. Right now LG is the only company that has a OLED HDTV available on the consumer market. The OLED display panel doesn’t require back light systems, which means the screen can be practically paper thin. LG measures this new screen to be only 0.11 inches thick. That is only a third of what their previous OLED HDTV measured. Right now, the OLED display is only a prototype but there are plans to market them within the near future. Retail prices and dates are not available.

[via Engadget]

It looks like LG Electronics is going big at IFA as they unveiled today their largest plasma display ever, the PX950N. The screen measures 180 inches diagonally and is the first 3DTV in the world to be certified with the 3D THX Certification. The display also features 600Hz Max Sub-field Driving technology, wireless internet connectivity, and access to NetCast. Right now the TV is only a prototype display and there aren’t a lot of additional specifications at this time. The PX950N will be on display this week at IFA.

[via Engadget]

LG Electronics is making a big statement this year at IFA with the announcement of their new LEX8 full LED HDTVs. The amazing thing about this TV is that it uses LG’s new nano lighting technology, which produces the brightest, clearest, smoothest picture to date. The nano technology uses an incredibly thin film that is positions in front of a full array of LEDs. LG decided to go with the backlight LED setup because disperses light evenly through out the screen. The LEX8 not only displays 2D images, but 3D images as well. The company also states that this display shows the best 3D images that their company has ever produced. Other features include a Magic Motion remote control, internet capabilities, and TruMotion 400Hz technology. Unfortunately the company did not state the screen sizes of the LEX8. They also haven’t released a retail price or a release date at this time.

[via Engadget]

The Philips 40PFL8605H/12 HDTV is one of the company’s high-end displays. It features 1080p HD (1920 x 1080) resolution and a 500000:1. Today, the writers from Flatpanels HD released their review of this screen. Their first impressions are positive with a steady base and stylish design. One feature that the writers liked was the internet access. It allowed them to browse several sites including YouTube, Picasa, and many more. One problem that did occur was with the glass cover. It provided a lot of reflection that sometimes made viewing difficult. But even with that problem the writer concluded by stating, “In the end Philips 8605H gave us a good result. The standard settings are bad and you have to be prepared to play with the picture settings but you can achieve fairly good results and picture quality on 8605H. We weren’t able to test the 3D picture quality because Philips delayed the 3D glasses but we’ll include a 3D section as soon as the 3D glasses arrive.”

[via Flatpanels HD]

Sony announced today that they are on their way to developing a 3DTV that doesn’t require glasses. Since many companies, including Sony, have already developed a vast line of 3DTVs, being able to develop a glasses-free model is the next big step. This unique feature is known as autostereoscopic 3D and it uses jagged displays in order send the correct image directly into the corresponding eye. The only problem though is that this technique has a very limited viewing angle. “Seeing 3D without glasses is more convenient, [but] we must take account of pricing before we can think about when to start offering them,” said Sony SVP Yoshihisa Ishida in Japan, as reported by newswire service The Press Association.

[via TG Daily]

Mitsubishi announced today that they will be launching their nationwide 3D Experience Tour. The tour will help Mitsubishi bring their unique 3D DLP HDTVs to the consumer market. What makes these models so unique is that the use the same 3D polarized glasses technique that is found in the theater. The polarized glasses are a lot cheaper to manufacture, which means they cost less for consumers. Also on the tour will be the company’s latest 3D LaserVue TV, which uses lasers as the display system. “3D is moving quickly into broadcast, theatrical and gaming content as consumers seek to immerse themselves in the games, movies, and sports programming they love,” says Max Wasinger, executive vice president of sales and marketing, Mitsubishi Digital Electronics America.

[via HDTV Magazine]