The UK-based Sky broadcasting station is proud to announce that they will be launching their first new internet TV service. The service will be available to anyone in the UK with a compatible PC/Mac, laptop, tablet, smartphone, game console, or connected TV. The new service will feature movies on demand and the company says that sports and entertainment will be available later on. Unfortunately the service is not free and users can choose to pay either per episode or a monthly subscription. Prices for the services were not announced but the internet service is expected to launch sometime in the first half of 2012.

[via Flatpanels HD]

Samsung is diving into the OLED HDTV industry feet first as details surfaced that the company is investing 7 trillion Won (about $6.2 billion USD) into the technology. Part of this investment will be made with the help of DuPont who has announced a new OLED factory that will be opening soon in Delaware, USA. According to reliable sources, Samsung will contribute 47.8 trillion Won (about $41.1 billion USD) towards new factories, employees, acquisitions and research. The new factory is expected to produce 50 inch OLED TVs in record time. “Samsung’s got strong cash flow to make bold bets in new technologies,” Lee Sun-tae, an analyst at NH Investment & Securities. “No other IT company can beat it in terms of investment and that’s how Samsung finds new revenue sources ahead of rivals and widens its gap.”

[via Flatpanels HD]

One of the new technologies being used with HDTVs for the home is the new 4K (4096 x 2160) resolution. This technology provides the same resolution quality that can be found in theaters. However there are some who think that 4K TVs are not necessary in the home. The main reason is because the human eyes can only interpret a finite resolution. This limit is different depending on the person, but any display that has a resolution higher than the viewers’ capabilities is just wasted energy. Another big reason is because resolutions were increased in order to accommodate larger screens. Standard resolution does not look good on a 50 inch TV unless the resolution is increased significantly. In order for 4K resolution to be useful it would need to be on screens that would normally be too large for the average home to accommodate. And if a room could accommodate a screen of that size, you would need to sit a fair distance from the screen to prevent damaging your eyes.

[via CNET]

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3D content is starting to grow in the retail market. One of the more anticipated releases is the latest transformer movie, Transformers: Dark of the Moon. The 3D version Blu-ray is not expected to release until next week, but the studio released a featurette detailing some of the key aspects when creating a 3D movie. “This Blu-ray 3D of Dark of the Moon will blow you away. If you’ve been waiting for the right time to get a 3D television, this is it,” said director Michael Bay. “For fans who’ve been waiting patiently to bring Dark of the Moon home, this Ultimate Edition release delivers the goods.” The 3D Blu-ray will release January 31st.

[via Engadget]

This week on HD Nation, the hosts talk about audio systems for your HDTV. The first segment the hosts answer a viewer’s question about whether 5.1 audio compares to 7.1 audio. The hosts state that the best setting for your home audio system is what your components are capable of handling. If your audio system only has 5.1 audio, then it wouldn’t make a lot of sense to select the higher 7.1 from your source material. The other major segment this week the hosts rewind back to CES and talk about an innovative product from JL Audio that allows subwoofers to be integrated into the walls. Essentially the product is a sound box that hands from a miniature shelf. It can easily be integrated into the wall or hidden by installing columns into the home theater design.

[via Revision 3]

At CES, LG unveiled their very first OLED HDTV, the 55EM9600. This 55 inch display is the first large screen OLED TV. It can display a native HD (1920 x 1080) resolution, a 100000000:1 contrast ratio, and 3D technology. Today, the company announced that they will be starting mass production of the TVs as early as July 2012. The displays will be produced at their 8.5-Gen plant and expect to ship out about 48000 TVs each month. This also means that customers could see TVs hit the retail markets as early as the 3rd quarter of 2012. Unfortunately, LG has yet to announce a specific release date.

[via Flatpanels HD]

The Vizio M3D460SR is one of the company’s latest 3D HDTVs. It measures 46 inches, diagonally, and comes with full HD (1920 x 1080) resolution and a 5000000:1 contrast ratio. Today, the writers from Tech Review Source released their review of this TV. The writers were very impressed by the overall design and handling. The Bluetooth remote was a nice feature because it allows the user to use it without actually being in the same room. The internet features were plentiful and helpful. The writers did notice a few problems, with the active dimming feature and they thought the 3D quality was only average at best. The writers did give the M3D460SR a good review and awarded it 3.5 stars as their final verdict.

[via Tech Review Source]

Loewe announced today a new app that will make viewing video a breeze. The Loewe VideoNet app is available for Apple’s iPad device and provides users with easy access to the best online videos. By using the iPad, the TV will be able to stream video, audio, and photos from the internet directly to the TV. Loewe is claiming that the VideoNet App is the first of its kind and that it will help pave the way for future apps. The application is free to download and available now.

[via Loewe]

Sharp unveiled today two new HDTVs from their 9 series, the LC-60LE945U and LC-70LE945U. These displays measure 60 and 70 inches, respectively. And include the latest in 3D, LED, and Smart TV technology. They are the flagships of the 2012 lineup and include Sharp’s new Quad Pixel Plus II panels. They will also be fitted with the ne SmartCentral, which is the company’s new internet platform. The TVs will have access to many of the internet’s most popular media and social websites. Unfortunately, Sharp has not released hard specifications about this device. They plan to release both TVs in the summer, but the retail prices have not been stated yet.

[via Flatpanels HD]

Loewe is proud to announce a new application for the Apple iPad called Loewe Assist Media app. This program will help enhance the functionality of its home entertainment systems. It essentially transfers the screen from the iPad and streams it to the TV allowing for a larger screen to view content. The company stresses that the app is more than the typical remote control app, but is also a TV guide with hundreds of channels available to watch with the press of a button. The app is free to download and is available now through the Apple app store.

[via Loewe]