| HDTV: Which comes first, programming or sets?
The number of HD channels is still small. But the recent inclusion by networks of prime-time offerings has put HD on many people's radar. BY FRANK AHRENS Washington Post Service For much of the past decade, there has been something of a chicken-and-egg scenario with high-definition television, or HDTV: Consumers weren't buying the very expensive HD television sets because there was so little HD programming. On the other side, television networks said it was not worthwhile to produce pricier HD programming because no one was buying HD sets. Now, that standoff is starting to change. The number of channels delivered in HD is still small -- usually about a dozen or so on a cable or satellite lineup. But the recent inclusion of the major networks and their prime-time offerings -- American Idol, Desperate Housewives, CSI and ER, among others -- has put HD on the radar of mainstream viewers.
The world is flat screen
The Numaish is no Las Vegas Consumer Electronics Show, nor is it Macworld Expo where a certain Steve Jobs comes and shows some gizmo and world drowns in the collective drool. No. The Numaish isn't exactly that. But logon to the Numaish and you get the feel of the times. From a time when visitors used to come here from Rajura, Sangli and Satara to a time when electronic goods meant a Keltron, a Meltron, a Salora or a Dyanora to a time when there would be one or two LCD or Plasma screens, times have changed. This year, the world is flat or curvy and it is getting flatter by the hour as the prices of LCD and plasma screens dip, middle class incomes rise and the flat screen becomes a living room style statement more than a requirement for a small room. A few kilometres but certainly a world away is the mall street.
New LG plasma, LCD TVs with hard disk
Akihabara News: LG has launched their new XCanvas TVs, which include a line-up of 5 Full HD TVs with a 160GB hard disk to copy your favorite TV show in HD without having to mess with a DVR. 160GB may be too light for some of you, but the TVs are equipped with a USB 2.0 port so you can connect an external hard disk, and therefore as much disk space as you can afford. The TVs are also equipped with the new XD Engine and XCC to reduce the image noise. The new TVs include LCD models measuring 37, 42 and 47", and Plasma models measuring 50 and 60". Their price ranges from €2,000 to €7,300. 37 inch 42 inch 47 inch 50 inch 60 inch lcd LG plamsa xcanvas tv .
TVs' bells, whistles can strike sour note
Jeff Stewart directs an educational technology program at Macon State College in Georgia. But even he was quickly overwhelmed while TV shopping last month.
The sets at his local Sam's Club all looked nice, but each touted a different alphabet soup of new features, from HDTV to LCD. Stewart didn't want to make a mistake. He left without buying anything.
That's not what TV makers want to hear, especially as buyers flock to stores ahead of this Sunday's Super Bowl. Sony, Samsung and others hope a host of new TV technologies will keep the once-stagnant market growing fast. The latest: "smart" sets that connect to computer networks or the Internet.
But as TV makers rush ever-changing new technologies to the market, they run the risk of confusing and alienating customers.
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