Jan 7 Podcast #460: CES 2011
It's hard to believe that another year has gone by and we're back on our annual trek to Las Vegas to pay homage to the consumer electronics industry. The Consumer Electronics Show is always a fun adventure, showcasing some of both the best and the most peculiar devices imaginable. Last year we were bombarded with 3D; this year it was all about connected TVs and tablets.
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CES 2011
It's hard to believe that another year has gone by and we're back on our annual trek to Las Vegas to pay homage to the consumer electronics industry. The Consumer Electronics Show is always a fun adventure, showcasing some of both the best and the most peculiar devices imaginable. Last year we were bombarded with 3D; this year it was all about connected TVs and tablets.
For pictures of everything we saw and did, check out the live blog Ara was updating as we walked the show: http://www.htguys.com/ces2011
Some of our favorite stuff came from these companies:
Vivitek
Vivitek showed a projector capable of converting any 2D content to 3D. Kinda neat, but we wouldn't run out and buy one. They also showed a tiny HD projector called the Qumi capable of 300 lumen output. It will sell for under $500 and looks like a fun little device. Here are the specs:
- Native WXGA (1280x800) resolution
- Up to 300 lumens of brightness and a 2500:1 contrast ratio
- 3D-Ready (via DLP Link) and a DLP chipset from Texas Instruments
- 1.6 pounds; Dimensions: 6.3”(w) x 1.2”(h) x 3.9”(d)
- 30,000+ estimated LED hours of operation
- Connectivity options include: Mini-HDMI, Universal I/O (24-pin connector for VGA/component input), 3.5mm video-in, 3.5mm mini-jack audio-out
- USB and MicroSD slots for content and memory expansion
- Built-in 1W speaker
- Offered in a black or white finish
- Available in May 2011; Estimated street price of $499.00(USD)
Optoma
In addition to the HD projectors Optoma is known for, they also showed a portable projector/iPhone dock combo unit that looks good. It's basically a pico projector with an iPhone/iPod dock and some built-in speakers. Called the Neo-i, it should be available soon and sell for under $500. And the specs:
- Native Resolution: 854 X 480 (16:9) WVGA DLP
- Brightness: 50 lumens Bright mode
- Contrast Ratio: 2000:1
- LED / Life: RGB LED, >20,000hrs
- Dimensions: 12.8” x 8.9” x 3.1”
- Weight: < 2.5 lbs
- Image Size: 5”~120” (16:9 native)
- Projection Lens: Fixed Focus Lens, F/1.8
- Throw Ratio: 1.8
JVC
JVC had a great demo of a 3D camcorder displaying live on a big 3D LCD TV. It was one of the more fun demos to participate in. Reaching out at the camera actually came out of the TV. One of the better uses of 3D at the show, but still active glasses, so be prepared to shell out $100-$200 per person to show your home movies to friends and family.
Panasonic
Panasonic showed their next generation plasma panels, the VT30 line, at the show. They won't be available until summer 2011, but they looked excellent. No word on pricing, but still available in 55" and 65" models, nothing bigger on the horizon. Specs:
- 3D compatible
- One pair of 3D glasses included
- THX certification
- Infinite Black Pro 2 panel
- 1080p/24 playback mode
- Short throw phosphors
- 3D-compatible SD card slot
- Viera Connect Internet suite
LG
LG had two concepts that really grabbed our attention. First, they were showing a whole slew of connected TVs that are somehow based on the Plex media server. Although LG didn't say the software was based on Plex, they did say that any app written for Plex would work the the LG Smart TV technology. You can draw your own conclusions.
LG also showed our favorite use of 3D at the show - passive glasses! The 3D actually looked pretty good. It wasn't as good as the 3D on a Panasonic plasma, but let's be fair, what is? It was pretty good, pretty smooth and very cheap glasses. They were giving them away like candy. Now there's a way to make 3D appealing to the masses.
LG showed a glasses-free 3D demo as well. Standing in the right spot, it actually did pretty well. But off angle viewing was rough.
Samsung
Samsung was on the connected TV bandwagon as well. They showed a pretty cool integration of a lot of the existing apps out there. The next generation of Samsung connected TVs and Blu-ray players will allow you to search for a movie and see every service where it's available, and the price, across services like Netflix, Vudu, Blockbuster, Amazon, etc. It lets you pick what you are willing to pay and what quality you'd like to see it in. There's also some social integration aspects that allow you to get recommendations from friends and the like.
Of course Samsung is also in the Android phone and tablet game, so that was on display as well. Braden, being the Android fan boy that he is, thought the Galaxy Player puts the iPod touch to shame. Of course, Ara doesn't see it. It's available in Korea with no current plas to bring it to the US.
Motorola
Motorola has some really big Android announcements. They announced two next generation android phones, both with dual 1Ghz processors. One for AT&T and one for Verizon. And of course everyone is still waiting for a real, honest iPad competitor, so Motorola is hoping they found that with their Xoom tablet. It's the first Android 3.0 device and boasts some pretty impressive specs. Should be out this quarter on the Verizon network, but only on 3G; 4G comes later this year. Specs:
- Android 3.0
- 10.1 inch display
- Dual Core 1 Ghz CPU NVIDIA Tegra 2
- 1GB RAM
- 32 GB inbuilt memory with microSD Card slot
- 1280x800 resolution display
- 5 megapixel camera with 720p video recording
- 2 megapixel webcam
- 1080p HDMI output
Yahoo!
Yahoo! showed the next generation of their TV widget offerings, but these widgets are alive. They can interact with the content on live TV to really meld the traditional broadcast TV format with the new, connected TV phenomenon. This could be exciting, or it could be really annoying, we'll have to wait and see.
Intel
Everyone is in the tablet game, and Microsoft and Intel had to get into it as well. Check out a video of the tablet from the live blog.
Reader Comments (3)
Regarding the Vizio 21:9 HDTV, it might be possible to accomplish something that (in the front projector world) is called Constant Image Height (CIH).
With a front projection setup, what you do is have your Blu-ray or DVD player vertically stretch a 2.35:1 movie to completely fill a 16:9 image with no black bars on the top and bottom. In this mode, everything looks tall and skinny (squished horizontally). In most HD front projectors, the imaging panels are normally 16:9, so to correct the squished image it's necessary to slide a so-called Anamorphic Lens in front of the projector lens. The Anamorphic Lens then optically stretches the image horizontally, filling a 2.35:1 screen and restoring the proper 2.35:1 aspect ratio of the original film. The purpose of all this is to produce a larger, more cinematic image and also use every available pixel of resolution on the 16:9 imaging panels.
In the Vizio 21:9 HDTV, it would be interesting to see if you could send the TV a vertically stretched 2.35:1 movie in 16:9 aspect ratio, and then have the TV perform the horizontal anamorphic stretch function to produce a beautiful, cinema-wide 2.35:1 image.
@Henry
Everything you wrote there about constant image height is true. There is another, "poor man's" way of doing constant image height with a front projector though - and that is to simply use a projector that has a motorized zoom, focus and lens shift.
The only issue with the vertical stretch plus anamorphic lens solution is that you are digitally scaling the image. You are no longer using perfect pixel-for-pixel resolution, instead, you are digitally stretching the image height wise and then optically stretching the image width wise. Real video sticklers, like Joe Kane for example, don't condone this method of filling a 2.35:1 aspect ratio screen because you are "ruining" the perfect pixel-for-pixel Blu-ray signal and purposely introducing both digital and optical distortion.
In the case of these 2520 x 1080 resolution 21:9 aspect ratio flat panel displays, it's a similar case where the image is being digitally scaled in resolution. There is no optical (ie. lens) scaling, but the image is being "zoomed" digitally. The actual 2.35:1 aspect ratio signal from the Blu-ray has a resolution of 1920 x 817, so that image is being scaled digitally both vertically and horizontally. It wouldn't matter if the display scales it in both directions or if the player were to output a "vertical stretch" version and then the display just scales it horizontally. In either case, the image gets digitally scaled both horizontally and vertically, so there's no advantage to outputting a "vertical stretch" mode from the player.
What I actually prefer to do is the following:
- Using a front projection system, I figure out what screen size would give me the recommended 30-32 degree field of view for HDTV 16:9 content. Let's just suppose that it works out to be a 100" screen size.
- From there, I imagine that I am going to use a constant image height 2.40:1 aspect ratio screen. So we would still have the 49" height, but rather than the 16:9 aspect ratio 87" width, we would have the 2.40:1 aspect ratio 117.6" width. If you were creating just a constant image height setup, you would stop here, but...
- I go one step further! I keep that 117.6" width and then expand the screen size vertically back to a 16:9 aspect ratio again! So the final screen is a 16:9 aspect ratio 117.6" wide x 66.2" tall screen. So a final screen size of 135" diagonally, giving me a 42 degree 16:9 aspect ratio field of view - assuming i started with a 32 degree field of view at the beginning of the calculation.
- Finally, I use either a 4-way masking system or the less expensive top/bottom masking with motorized curtains to mask the sides so that I can create any screen size and aspect ratio. I combine this ultra-large screen size, the masking and a front projector that has motorized zoom, focus and lens shift, which allows me to project any aspect ratio at the desired size without ever resorting to digital scaling or optical scaling of any kind. The resolution remains pixel-for-pixel perfect!
The other big advantage with this ultra-large 16:9 system is that I can watch IMAX features in stunning size and scope. A perfect example of where this system shines is with the Blu-ray of "The Dark Knight". During the 2.35:1 aspect ratio 35mm sequences, I get the expanded horizontal width that a constant image height setup would offer. But during those beautiful IMAX sequences (which are shown in a 16:9 aspect ratio on the Blu-ray version), the scope expands to fill that entire over-large 42 degree field of view and really mimics the full IMAX theater experience!. If you were to watch "The Dark Knight" on a constant image height setup or on one of these new 21:9 aspect ratio flat panels, you would either have to lose those IMAX sequences and just stick with the 2.35:1 aspect ratio throughout, or else the IMAX sequences would actually have to appear SMALLER than the 2.35:1 35mm sequences, with the 16:9 aspect ratio IMAX sequences filling the height of the 2.35:1 screen, but having black bars on either side!
It might seem a bit crazy to get such a large screen, which is only ever fully utilized with IMAX features. But if you are willing to spend the extra money for a constant image height setup or a 21:9 flat panel, I say, why not go whole hog? With my proposed setup, you don't need an outboard anamorphic lens. And, best of all, the image is never digitally scaled, nor optically stretched. All you have to do is use the zoom on your projector, which might be "the poor man's" version, but it sure doesn't feel like it when you're able to watch a 42 degree field of view AND have the expanded width for those 2.35:1 aspect ratio feature films :D
@Rob H
Wow that's an awesome system!!
I'm familiar with the motorized zoom/focus method. I have a 1080p Panasonic PT-AE3000U LCD front projector shooting a 2.35:1 aspect ratio screen with 103" diagonal. My seating distance from the front row is 8 feet and from the back row is 11 feet. I don't know what that works out to in degrees but that is about the max screen size and max seating (3 front/2 back) that will fit in my small 12 x 15 theater room!
I don't use masking because the Panny 3000 has good enough black level that it's not strictly necessary.
I'm not totally satisfied with the motorized zoom/focus, but it is a huge improvement over black bars top and bottom that I had with my previous 720p projector and 16:9 screen. The main thing that bothers me is wasting available pixels on my 16:9 LCD panels. When I zoom a 2.35:1 movie to fill the 2.35:1 screen, I am looking at physically larger pixels than when I am watching 16:9 content at CIH. At my close seating distance, this reduces apparent resolution. I agree that optical artifacts from an anamorphic lens might be troublesome, but if I had 2.35: 1 LCD panels in my projector (or a 2.35:1 HDTV screen), I'd be willing to accept both vertical and horizontal digital scaling in order to get more and smaller on-screen pixels out of a given size image.
Forget 3D: give me a 1080p projector with 2.35:1 panels and good black level under $2000!
And....4K can't get here fast enough! :-D