This week’s episode of HD Nation was sponsored by Samsung and the main topic this week is talking some of the new and best Samsung HDTV apps that are available through their store. Samsung was the first company to offer an app store for their internet connected HDTVs. The hosts highlight apps that give a self eye exam, traffic and weather reports. Another segment of the show talks about a new HDPC TV tuner from SilliconDust. The device is called the HD HomeRun Prime and the hosts are trying their hardest to get one to review it.

[via Revision 3]

SES ASTRA is the leading Direct-to-Home satellite system in Europe. Recently, the company was proud to announce that they have signed a capacity agreement with Penthouse Digital media Productions in order to launch a second Penthouse 3D channel on ASTRA. The first station was known for being the world’s first 3D adult channel and broadcasted 100% native 3D content. “We are excited about adding another channel to the Penthouse 3D line-up on ASTRA,” says Marc Bell, CEO of FriendFinder Networks Inc., owner of Penthouse Digital Media Productions. “Working with SES ASTRA fits very well with our ambition to be the leader in technology and we will continue to provide consumers with a variety of options of new content on the world’s best platforms.”

[via Businesswire]

The Sony KDL-55EX720 HDTV is one of the company’s new 3DTVs. It measures 55 inches and can display full HD (1920 x 1080) resolution. Today, the writers from Tech Watch released their review of this TV. The writers first compliment the diverse feature package that includes LED backlight, a 240hz refresh rat, Internet capabilities, Wi-Fi, and 3D technology. They also highlight the minimalist design and compliment the sleek, glossy, black finish. The writers don’t really have a lot of negative comments about the TV and are overall impressed by the TV’s performance.

[via Tech Watch]

One of the many HDTVs to be released by Toshiba recently is the 22 inch 22DL833B. This LED screen features HD (1366 x 768) resolution and a built-in DVD player. Recently, the writes from Trusted Reviews released their review of this particular screen. The writers were very impressed with the sharpness and color that the TV could produce. They also thought that the TV was more than bright enough for home entertainment. Unfortunately the TV did have a few problems, mainly in the black levels. The writers thought that the contrast was disappointing and would have liked to see better results. Another problem was with the backlighting. The writers noted that there were several uniformity errors that were very obvious at times. The final verdict was, “To be honest, the 22DL833 doesn’t manage to deliver the performance thrills we’d hoped for given its edge LED lighting – aside from an unusual amount of brightness. But then it does cost less than £250, so with that and its multimedia tools in mind it’s still a solid enough second room option if money is tight.”

[via Trusted Reviews]

Hewlett Packard recently announced the release of their latest LED HD monitor, the x2301. This screen measures 23 inches, diagonally, and uses LED lighting for an ultra slim, futuristic design. The connection panel has been relocated to the stand’s base and includes an HDMI, DVI, and a RGB port. There is also a Kensington slot for security purposes. The screen is capable of displaying full HD (1920 x 1080) resolution and a 1000:1 contrast ratio, although the company also claims an 8000000:1 dynamic contrast ratio as well. The x2301 is only available in the USA at this time and is a limited edition model. It retails for just under $280.

[via Flatpanels HD]

Samsung is a market leader and award-winning innovator in consumer electronics. Today, the company was proud to announce a new way for consumers to access 3D content for their 3DTVs. The new method is a new app that is available to download through their HDTV app store called “Explore 3D”. The app will give users access to dozens of free 3D content that is all streaming with high definition resolution. Some of the content includes DreamWorkds Animation, music videos, educational content, and full length TV shows from Wealth TV. In addition to free 3D content, Explore 3D will also have access to paid 3D content like movies, documentaries, and short films, but that will be an update that will need to be downloaded later during the year. “Once consumers experience the wonder of immersive 3D that we deliver on Samsung 3D LED and 3D Plasma TVs, they generally crave all the 3D content they can get their hands on,” said John Revie, senior vice president of Home Entertainment, Samsung Electronics America, Inc. “We decided to expand our Explore 3D App with both free content and – coming soon – feature films in order to meet this growing demand.”

[via Businesswire]

There are some HDTV companies that have decided to skip the 3D glasses and go straight for the 3D glasses-free technology. Recently, a company called Nissho Electronics debut a new TV that measures 52 inches, uses LCD technology and can display full HD (1920 x 1080) resolution. The display is capable of displaying 3D content with out the glasses and will be used mainly by businesses and advertising. Other features include a 2000:1 contrast ratio, 8ms response time, 700 nits of brightness, and a 60Hz refresh rate. Right now the TV is only being introduced in Japan for ¥1.7 million ($20820).

[via Engadget]

Panasonic is a provider of collaboration, information-sharing and decision-support solutions for government and commercial enterprises. Today, the company was proud to announce the release of their latest plasma HDTV line, the PH30. This series includes two new displays, the TH-42PH30U and TH-50PH30U, which measure 42 and 50 inches, respectively. Both displays feature a XGA (1024 x 768) resolution and an impressive 2000000:1 contrast ratio. These displays are not intended for home entertainment, but instead are more geared towards advertising and public areas like bars, restaurants, and so forth. The series was built for longevity and to be eco-friendly. The screens are expected to last up to 100000 hours, which is a huge improvement over the typical 60000 hours for most TVs. “With the PH30 Series, Panasonic can offer its customers top-of-the-line plasma picture quality in an energy-efficient and economically priced package,” said Rick Albert, VP Sales, Professional Display Solutions. “These new displays help diversify our product offering, helping to make sure our customers are outfitted with the right solutions to fit their individual needs.” The TH-42PH30U and TH-50PH30U are available now for $880 and $1200, respectively.

[via Businesswire]

DirecTV is the world’s largest pay TV service. Today, the company announced that they have started field trail testing of their new DirecTV Home Media Center. The center is designed to provide customers with a “receiver-less” solution for many TVs in their homes. The key to the system is the HR34 RVU –enabled server, which is a client/server-based technology that allows the TV viewer to experience a consistent, pixel accurate server-generated user interface on various consumer electronic devices. “The DIRECTV Home Media Center is going to simplify the way our customers watch television throughout their homes and give them access not only to their favorite content in HD and DVR functionality on each television, but to a consistent, feature rich user interface, no matter what room they are in,” said Romulo Pontual, executive vice president and CTO for DIRECTV. “We made a commitment to RVU technology when we joined the RVU Alliance in 2009, and we are excited to see the fruits of the Alliance’s labor becoming a reality with the launch of our DIRECTV Home Media Center field trial.”

[via Engadget]

LG is one of the many companies on display this week at the 2011 SID convention. Today, the company unveiled their latest development, an ultra-resolution Advanced High Performance In-Plane Switching (AH-IPS) display. The resolution is not known, but the company did say that viewing is the only way to discern the new screen’s veracity. The screens range in size from a cell phone’s 3.5 inch to a towering 84 inch HDTV. LG did not release any information about the displays or when they will be available. Expect a follow up article when LG releases more information.

[via Engadget]