This week on HD Nation the hosts begin the show talking about the new Ceton InfiniTV6 ETH. This product has the ability to record 6 TV channels simultaneously, while previous methods required multiple products. The hosts also answer a viewer’s question that asks if they should wait to purchase a 4K HDTV or should they look into a 21:9 aspect ratio TV. The hosts state the wider screen provides better viewing for most movies that are available because it eliminates the letter boxing. These TVs are decent, but if you are looking to use for more than movies then 4K will probably be the better choice. The big segment this week is a hands on review of the new Vizio 42” 5.1 home theater sound bar and subwoofer and satellite speakers. The hosts note that a sound bar does sound better than a TV’s internal speakers, but only marginally. That is why for high quality sound the hosts recommend using multiple speakers spread out throughout the viewing area. The hosts think that this system from Vizio actually has some unique features. The first is six speakers in the bar, plus two surround speakers and a subwoofer system. They did notice that if the volume is too high then the sound has an overwhelming boom. But when turned down the quality was very pleasant. The system comes with an accessory box and all the cables and manuals a consumer would need to mount the system themselves. The only problem the writers found with the system is that they couldn’t adjust the volume on the speakers individually. But overall, the hosts were pleased with the performance and highly recommend it.

[via YouTube]

LG announced today that their popular Google TVs will be upgraded to use the latest version of the Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean operating system. The update will allow customers to enjoy more applications including better games, advanced graphics, and more. The upgrade will be made available in the 3rd quarter and able to be downloaded by existing TV owners. “LG’s Google TV with the latest Jelly Bean operating system and NDK support will deliver an enhanced user experience and access to more great apps,” said Havis Kwon, president and CEO of the LG Home Entertainment Company. “In addition to enabling users to enjoy advanced Android apps, the latest OS will also provide developers with new opportunities in the Smart TV arena.”

[via LG]

NEC is a leading provider of commercial LCD display and projector solutions. Today, the company announced the release of a new high-end IT desktop display, the EA234WMi-BK. This HD monitor measures 23 inches and comes with HD (1920 x 1080) resolution and a 1000:1 contrast ratio. The display uses LED backlighting and even comes with ControlSync, which allows for multi-monitor configurations. “We are excited to add the MultiSync EA234WMi-BK to our portfolio. This model offers a robust feature set to meet the needs of the most demanding users,” said Kevin Christopherson, Director of Product Marketing for Desktop Displays at NEC Display Solutions. “Not only will customers get exceptional performance, but this display also has received the highest levels of environmental certifications.” The EA234WMi-BK is available now and comes with a 3 year warranty. It retails for $269.

[via NEC]

Sharp made big news today when they announced that they have decided to make a new minimum for their HDTVs. The company plans to focus on large screen HDTVs and in doing so announced that they have made 60” the new minimum size for their TV lineup. The company plans to make HDTVs measuring as large as 90”, measured diagonally. With these big screen, Sharp says that the TVs will have improved picture quality, access to streaming services, and several other new features. This new minimum starts this year as the company begins to rollout the first of their 2013 lineup. The flagship displays will come from their new 8 series which will come with the new Quattron display panel, Smart TV platform, and measuring up to 80”. The cheaper models are already hitting stores in the UK and USA. The rest of the collection can expect to hit the shelves within the month.

[via Flatpanels HD]

Sony has been promoting their new 4K UHDTVs for several months now. Today, they announced that two of their TVs are now available for pre-ordering. The 65” KD-65X9005A and the 55” KD-55X9005A TVs are part of the new X9 series. This series included the new UHD (3840 x 2160) resolution and 3D capabilities. The displays use Sony’s Triluminos Display technology to help enrich the viewing by creating a wider palette of colors that normally couldn’t be seen on HDTVs. The series is expected to officially launch in June. The KD-65X9005A and KD-55X9005A will retail for £6000 ($9131) and £4000 ($6087), respectively.

[via Engadget]

One of the leading competitors for Netflix is Redbox. Today, Redbox was proud to announce the launch of their Redbox Instant service. The service provides a streaming service for customers who don’t want to venture to the vending machines. The service is beginning to expand to Smart TVs with LG’s models being the latest addition. The company says that the service is still in its beta testing, however it is has expanded to Apple iOS and Google Android devices as well as Xbox and now Smart TVs. Redbox plans to expand the service through more Smart TV manufacturers within the year.

[via Flatpanels HD]

Netflix has announced that they are upgrading several of their user interfaces. The upgrades will be for the PlayStation 3 game console and several select Smart HDTVs and Blu-ray players. The new interface has a new design that is “more consistent with the Netflix player on the web.” Users will now be able to select audio languages and subtitles. There will also be a new “Trickplay” feature that highlights small sample images when fast forwarding. This will give the user a better idea of what part of the movie to forward to. The new interface is already available for PS3 owners to download. The other products selected for the upgrade can expect to see the update available soon.

[via Flatpanels HD]

Samsung held a showcase event recently in London and at the show they unveiled their latest LED HDTV, the UE55F8500. This TV measures 55 inches and comes with full HD (1920 x 1080) resolution, 3D technology and a “Mega” contrast. The F8500 series is the company’s flagship series and represents some of this year’s best HDTVs. Some of the main features include LED backlighting with micro dimming ultimate, quad-core processor, 1000 Hz CMR frame interpolation, and more. It is even compatible with the Samsung Evolution Kit that was unveiled a few months ago. Samsung has not announced a retail price yet, but it is available to order.

[via HDTVtest]

LG is happy to announce today the launch of their new 2013 LED HDTVs. The company will have three new series ready, the LA7400, LA6900, and LA6200. These are the USA versions of the LA740V, LA690V, and LA620V TV series that are also being released in the UK. The projectors include the latest in HD (1920 x 1080) resolution, Smart TV technology, and 3D technology. In total there are 11 new projectors being released in the USA. They range in size from 42 inches to 60 inches, diagonally. The company plans to release their flagship OLED series and the top LED model later in May.

[via Flatpanels HD]

One of the new HDTVs to come from Sharp is the LC-60LE650U. This device features full HD (1920 x 1080) resolution, LED technology, and a 4000000:1 contrast ratio. Today, PC Magazine released their review of this device. The writers first note how inexpensive the TV is. But cheap TVs usually have a few problems to note. The writers were very happy with the TV’s brightness, but they thought the colors needed work. The low contrast ratio also hinders the image quality. The writers were happy though with the TV’s features. In the end, the writers stated, “Sharp’s Aquos LC-60LE650U is a reasonably priced 60-inch LED backlit HDTV offering a generous feature set and an overall sharp picture. Color accuracy and viewing angle performance could be better, though.”

[via PC Magazine]