New Blu-ray DVD players—one for under $300

While the latest Blu-ray players from several major brands aren't doing anything to lower the price barrier for Blu-ray ownership, Magnavox has introduced the first sub-$300 model, which is selling at Wal-Mart.

However, many models, including the Magnavox, are Profile 1.1 players that offer BonusView (picture-in-picture) capability, but not the Internet-access capability (called BDLive) of Profile 2.0 players. Even at lower prices, we still believe that holding off a bit longer—when fully featured players are both more plentiful and cheaper—makes the most sense for the majority of us. (Find other helpful buying advice in our "How to choose a high-def DVD player.")

But these all-inclusive players are now on the way. For example, Panasonic's newest standalone player is a Profile 2.0 model, and Samsung's new standalone model, a Profile 1.1 player, can be upgraded later this year to meet the Profile 2.0 specifications.

The down side, however, is that these players are still relatively expensive: $400 for the Samsung model, and $700 for the Panasonic. With the exception of the new Maganavox, the least expensive new Blu-ray players, even those from secondary brands, are $350. It's possible, though, that the introduction of the Magnavox model will put pressure on those second-tier brands manufacturers to get their player prices below $300.

Magnavox: Under $300 at Wal-Mart

The new Magnavox model, made by increasingly busy contract manufacturer Funai, has been sighted at Wal-Mart at a retail price of $298. The player, model NB500MG9, is a BonusView model that features 1080p/24 output (which sends film-base video at its native 24 frames-per-second rate to a TV or projector that can accept it; therefore, no conversion—3:2 pulldown—is needed to match the video to a TV’s 60 fps display). The Funai website has the owner's manual for the NB500MG9 (You'll need Adobe Acrobat, however.) if you'd like to see all of its features.

Are you ready for green TV?

Flat-panel TVs, especially plasma TVs, consume a good deal of power—perhaps more than your fridge, as we found when we tested the power consumption of a range of TV types recently. But how much do you care about that?

We ask because some TV manufacturers, when they gather at events like the Consumer Electronics Show, say that energy consumption and other green considerations aren't yet a high-priority concern for a critical mass of consumers. And that, they say, makes them reluctant to compromise on attributes that are clear consumer priorities, like low prices and bright screens, in order to boost greenness.

Yet greener computers and monitors have entered the market. Why? In part because the federal government buys millions of those products every year and insists that 95 percent of them meet environmental standards set by EPEAT—the Electronics Product Environmental Assessment Tool. The standards stipulate that desktops, laptops, and monitors contain fewer toxins like lead and mercury, be Energy Star-qualified, and contain recyclable or reusable parts, among other criteria. Some of the greener models developed to meet EPEAT's stipulations are available to consumers, too; the program's website has a searchable list.

Currently, EPEAT standards are being considered for TVs. But since the Feds don't buy many TVs, the incentive to create the standards wouldn't be there the way it is for computers. Our advocacy colleagues at Consumers Union, the publisher of Consumer Reports, believe it will be key to have other big purchasers and retailers engage in the development of the standards.

Of course, the biggest driver in all of this is you, the consumer. Are greener TVs on your radar? Would you trade off other attributes, like screen size or price, to get a greener set? Tell us what you think.

Rules on DTV converter coupons might ease, but expiration date stands

As the rollout of digital converter boxes for next year's conversion to all-digital TV continues, the federal government is considering loosening some eligibility requirements for subsidies on the boxes. But other beefs from consumers and consumer groups remain unaddressed.

The National Telecommunications and Information Administration, the agency administering the distribution of $40 coupons to offset the typical $50 to $70 cost of the boxes, is considering allowing nursing home residents and consumers who use post-office boxes to apply for the coupons, as our colleagues at Consumers Union, the publisher of Consumer Reports, are reporting on hearusnow.org.

But the agency isn't budging on the expiration of the coupons after 90 days. CU and other groups complain that this is a potentially bigger issue, because there are still relatively few converter boxes in stores, few have the analog pass-through feature some consumers want, and none are as yet priced at $40 or less, meaning consumers must bear some out-of-pocket cost.

We've reviewed three coupon-eligible boxes without the analog pass-through feature and one, a Philco product, that has it. All did a decent job, but you might have to tinker with your setup to get optimal results.

For more helpful advice and links to other DTV resources on the Web, check out our Digital TV Transition information center on ConsumerReports.org.

HD DVD buyers get some relief

If you're one of the unfortunate souls who succumbed to the lure of a low-priced HD DVD player instead of a more expensive Blu-ray model, take heart: Several major consumer electronics retailers are offering refunds and credits that could help mitigate your pain over the demise of the HD DVD format.

Now that Circuit City's offer—full store credit for the return of a player—has expired, the best remaining deal we've seen is from Wal-Mart, which similarly offers to refund the full sales price of an HD DVD player to customers who purchased a player on or after November 1st, 2007. You need to have the sales receipt and return the player to the store, but you don't need the original packaging. But act soon, as the offer expires April 30th. A company spokesperson told me Wal-Mart is considering some other promotional high-def offers, but they'll probably be later this spring due to the current short supply of Blu-ray players on the market.

At both Amazon and Best Buy, you can get a $50 store credit, and don't even have to return the HD DVD player (you're essentially getting $50 for the trauma of backing the wrong format). At Amazon, those who purchased an HD DVD player directly from the online retailer (and not one of its third-party affiliates) prior to February 23, 2008 are receiving emails with a promotional code for a $50 credit good toward future Amazon purchases. The code is valid through April 9, 2009.

Best Buy's deal—a $50 store gift card— applies to those who purchased an HD DVD player (or an HD DVD add-on for the Xbox 360) before Feb. 23, 2008. The retailer said it's proactively identifying those customers through its Rewards Program, extended service plan documentation and BestBuy.com purchases, and will mail gift cards automatically by May 1st. Others can call Best Buy (1-888-BestBuy), as long as you have a Best Buy receipt or credit-card information to serve as proof of purchase. The offer appears to be good through the end of the year.

If you're a two-time high-def loser—you not only bought an HD DVD player, but got it from a retailer who isn't participating in a return program—Best Buy still feels your pain. The company is accepting HD-DVD player trade-ins, regardless of where it was purchased, via Best Buy's online trade-in center. Though the offer isn't as generous as a full refund, at least it's something you could use toward the purchase of a Blu-ray player. To find out what you'd get for your HD DVD player, visit the Best Buy online trade-in site at https://www.bestbuytradein.com/bb/. And Best Buy customers can essentially double-dip, accepting the $50 gift card, and then trading the player in for additional store credit.

—James K. Willcox

Philco TB100HH9: A DTV set-top box with analog pass-through

With the clock marking the DTV transition ticking more loudly every day, we're starting to see more converter boxes showing up in stores. We recently posted First Look reviews of three boxes—the $50 Magnavox TB100MW9, the $60 Insignia NS-DXA1, and the $60 Zenith DTT900. Now we've just completed our preliminary tests on one of the first boxes with "analog pass-though" capability, the Philco TB100HH9.

Analog pass-through can be an important feature for households in areas served by so-called "low-power" broadcasters. Though all full-power stations are required to broadcast only digital signals as of February 17, 2009, the low-power broadcasters can continue analog broadcasts, at least for the time being. Since the converter box does not include an analog tuner, you will have to continue using your TV's built in analog tuner to pick up these stations. A converter box with analog pass through will not only put digital programs on the RF antenna output to the TV (channel 3 or 4), but will also pass along traditional analog antenna signals as well. For more information, check out "The DTV Transition: The low-down about analog pass-though."

DTV converter coupons: It's now or never

Use 'em or lose 'em. That's the bottom line with the $40 government coupons (seen at right) for buying digital converter boxes. Coupons expire 90 days after issue, and if you haven't used them by then, you're out of luck. You can't request a replacement.

That's a growing concern for consumers who rushed to request coupons earlier this year to ensure they didn't miss out on the program. They're anxious to buy a converter box before the coupon expires, but there are few models now in stores, and all cost more than $40, requiring shoppers to foot part of the bill. There will be $40 boxes this summer, but that's no help for those who need to redeem a coupon before then.

We just checked the websites for Best Buy, Circuit City, Radio Shack, and Wal-mart, and found that each had one or two boxes. Of the boxes listed, all but two cost $60; only Wal-mart had lower-priced models, for $50 and $53. With these four retailers, you can't buy the boxes online; they're available only in retail stores, or by phone from Radio Shack (877-773-8848) and Best Buy (877-229-3889).

The DTV transition: The low-down on analog pass-through

Most TV stations must stop broadcasting analog signals on February 17, 2009, but some stations don't have to switch completely to digital broadcasts. Low-power TV stations, TV translator stations, and so-called Class A stations can continue broadcasting analog TV signals well after the deadline. If you're in an area served by such a station, you'll want a DTV converter box that can handle both digital and analog signals. Of course, if you're not able to receive any digital stations, there's no rush to buy any converter box, and we anticipate there being a greater assortment of boxes with analog pass-through in the not-too-distant future.

Low-power TV was created in the early 1980s to provide locally oriented or specialized programming to smaller rural towns or small communities within urban areas. TV translator stations boost and re-broadcast the signals of full-power stations to communities that can't receive them either because they're too far away, or because mountains or uneven terrain inhibit reception. Class A stations are a class of low-power stations that are required to air a certain amount of locally produced programming each week.

The vast majority of TV broadcasts are from full-power stations that will switch to digital, but nearly 7,000 low-power and translator stations provide free over-the-air TV programming to viewers. Although they will one day, too, have to make the switch to digital, currently there's no firm timetable for that transition. Therefore, if you're in a market currently being served by such a station, we recommend you get a DTV converter box with "analog pass-though" capability. These boxes allow analog TV signals to pass through the box without being converted to digital so the TV's analog tuner can receive and display them. We recently ran preliminary tests on one of the early pass-through models, the Philco TB100HH9. We'll be posting that review here shortly.

A high-def box for your HD-ready TV

If you have an HD-ready TV hooked up to an antenna, you need to prepare for the February 2009 switch to all-digital broadcasting.

That's because HD-ready TVs have only an analog tuner, and analog broadcasts will be discontinued next year. To continue getting free television programming, you'll need to buy a digital converter box and connect it between the antenna and the TV. There are two types of boxes available.

You can use a basic converter box, which costs $40 to $70, but it will provide only standard-definition content. The government is offering a $40 coupon, which can be used only for a basic model. We've tested a few coupon-eligible boxes and found that they performed well overall. This is the way to go if you don’t care much about HD programming.

But since your TV has the ability to display HD, it might be worth spending more—closer to $200—for an HD-capable digital converter box. This will enable you to get free high-def programming from the major broadcast networks, and you don't have to wait till next year. HD broadcasts are already available in most areas, so you can start enjoying them right away.

One model to consider is Samsung's DTB-H260F converter box. At $170, the Samsung isn't cheap, and it's not eligible for the coupon program. But it will get you free HD, with great picture quality. In our tests, picture quality for both 720p and 1080i HD signals we pulled in via a rooftop antenna was excellent, rivaling if not surpassing what we've seen with the typical cable feed.

The converter box should give you access to just as many stations as an HDTV with a built-in tuner, assuming of course that you have a good antenna in either case. When we fed the DTB-H260F progressively weaker signals, it did a good job with weak signals, comparable to several late-model 42-inch flat-panel HDTVs we tested. A signal-strength meter, accessible via the remote, helps you adjust the antenna to the optimal position.

Other nice features include an onscreen guide that shows programs and start times, and lets you scroll among digital channels.

—Nick Mandle and Chris Andrade

 

Converter boxes: More info for making the jump to digital TV

Have you gotten your $40 coupons yet? If so, you might be tempted to rush out to your local electronics retailer or online store and buy a digital TV converter box now—before your government-sponsored discount coupons expire in 90 days.

Before you shop, check out our "First Look" at three low-cost set-top boxes we've mentioned previously. From our review of the Magnavox TB100MW9 ($50), Insignia NS-DXA1 ($60), and Zenith DTT900 ($60), there's good news and some not-so-good news you'll want to consider.

Flat-Panel TVs in 2008: Fewer LCD brands, lesser price drops

If you've been putting off buying a flat-panel LCD TV with the hope of getting one for a dramatically lower price this year, it looks like you're out of luck. During the DisplaySearch Flat-Panel TV conference I'm attending in La Jolla, Calif., this week, panelists said they expect price declines in 2008 to be moderate, and some LCD models may actually be a bit more expensive.

There may also be fewer LCD brands to choose from, several panelists warned. Less familiar brands may be pushed off shelves as some better-known brands, including Sony and Vizio, continue to market models specifically for mass-market market retailers such as Wal-Mart.

In plasmas, the other major flat-panel technology, panelists predicted more and deeper price drops than for LCDs, though nothing to rival the declines of the past few years. In both plasma and LCDs, price drops will be greater for 1080p (so-called "full HD") models than for those with 720p resolution.

Both technologies will continue a growing overlap in screen sizes. In addition to a growing number of sub-40-inch plasmas, some 55-inch LCD models are expected. Ross Young, president of DisplaySearch, predicts we'll also see 46-inch plasmas emerge to compete with 46- and 47-inch LCD TVs.

Pioneer to stop making plasma TVs

Pioneer, one of the leading plasma TV manufacturers, confirmed recent rumors by releasing a statement acknowledging it would stop making its own plasma TV panels, and instead source them from other panel suppliers, most likely Panasonic (Matsushita).

Pioneer joins a growing list of companies that have exited the plasma manufacturing business. Many of them—including Sony, Mitsubishi, and Fujitsu—no longer sell plasma sets. Pioneer, however, will continue selling plasmas under its own label. It's not clear, though, how much of its touted Kuro plasma technology will make its way into the new sets, something the company said it was exploring. Many Pioneer models have been among the top performers in Consumer Reports' Ratings of plasma TVs.

The company will also start selling LCD TVs for the first time as a result of a previously announced deal with Sharp Electronics, which will supply the sets as part of an investment in Pioneer.

In the statement, Pioneer described its decision as a cost-cutting move that will allow the company to be more competitive in the plasma business and focus its internal resources on other product categories, such as home audio and video (including Blu-ray players) as well as mobile electronics, including in-dash car navigation systems.

"This move will allow us to transform our business model for displays from vertically integrated, capital-intensive operations to a leaner business model geared to making value-added product proposals," Pioneer said in a press release. Going forward, the company will source the components, then assemble the sets and sell them, and will continue R&D on technology to improve performance.

Exclusive: First tests of digital TV converter boxes

With the digital TV transition less than a year away, digital-to-analog converters have started showing up in retail stores. These set-top boxes convert digital transmissions pulled in by an antenna into analog signals that can be accepted by an older tube TV and other sets that don’t have a built-in digital tuner.

We tested three of the first digital-to-analog converters to hit the market: the Magnavox TB100MW9 ($50 at Wal-mart), Insignia NS-DXA1 ($60 at Best Buy) and Zenith DTT900 ($60 at Circuit City). If you buy any of these boxes, you can use the $40 coupon offered by the government, reducing your out-of-pocket cost to $10 or $20. (The Magnavox is pictured above. You can click on it for a closer look.)

[Feb. 14, 2008 UPDATE: We've further reviewed these digital TV converter boxes and have posted more information about them in our report, "Digital TV converter boxes: First Look," on ConsumerReports.org. —Ed.]

These converters did what they're supposed to—they provided access to free, off-air digital TV programs when we connected them to a rooftop antenna at our Yonkers, NY, lab. In addition, we tested to see how well each box performed when we lowered signal strength to marginal levels. All three boxes did an equally good job with weak signals, comparable to several late-model 42-inch flat-panel HDTVs we tested for comparison. (One important note: While the boxes can pull in both HD and standard-def digital channels, they'll convert HD programs to standard-definition analog.)

Picture quality from all three converter boxes was decent and should be fine on a relatively small-screen set. It's likely to be better than analog broadcasts you're watching on that same TV now. It won't match what you can get with a good digital TV, but the difference in quality isn't that great that you should buy a new TV unless you're ready to change for other reasons.

For an extra $10, the Insignia and Zenith boxes provided a slightly better image than the Magnavox and some added features that make them more convenient to use. The Zenith and Insignia performed closely overall, but the Insignia had a few quirks in picture quality when we used the composite-video output, so we would opt for the Zenith.

If you're in the market for a converter box, stay tuned for our full test report on these three models, which we expect to post next week on ConsumerReports.org.

—Eileen McCooey

How to use a converter box & antenna to get DTV

Digital TV offers potentially better picture quality and more channels than analog over-the-air broadcasts, but getting digital signals might not be as easy as plugging a converter box between your antenna and TV. Here's why.

Most analog stations are in the VHF band, channels 2-13, while digital signals are transmitted mainly over the UHF band, 14 and higher. (However, digital stations in some areas may move to the VHF band next February, when analog channels vacate their station frequencies.) The UHF band is more directional than VHF and more sensitive to obstacles (such as trees, tall buildings, and mountains) that lie between your antenna and the broadcast tower. So getting good UHF reception can be more difficult than pulling in VHF, affecting your ability to get digital broadcasts.

The all-or-nothing nature of digital broadcasts also comes into play. With analog stations, a weak signal can still yield a watchable picture—it might be snowy or have ghosts, but you'll get a continuous picture and uninterrupted sound.

If you're getting marginal reception of digital signals, both the picture and sound might freeze or break up to the point that it's not watchable. If you're really on the fringes—either too far from a tower or with too many obstacles in the way—you'll see a black screen that says "Weak or no signal."

You don't have to wait until next year to get an idea right now as to what kind of reception you can expect after the transition. Here's what you can do right now:

Is your Blu-ray player obsolete?

Even though the Blu-ray format has emerged as the de facto standard for high-definition DVD, you might want to hold off on buying a player. We think prices could drop later in the year, but that's not the only reason to wait. Technologically, the Blu-ray format is still maturing.

As a result, many early adopters are finding, to their dismay, that the players they purchased—likely at premium prices—lack features that will be included in newer, lower-priced models.

One thing that HD DVD got right was that it mandated a minimum set of features, including interactivity and online access, which had to be included in every player sold. Blu-ray, by contrast, has continually updated the features on its players. Currently, Blu-ray is on its third player "profile," which describes the specific features included in the player.

The first players—so-called Profile 1.0 models—will play Blu-ray movies (plus DVDs and, generally, CDs), period. An updated profile—dubbed Profile 1.1—added picture-in-picture capability that lets you view a Blu-ray movie while calling up additional content, such as a director's commentary, in a smaller window on the screen.

The latest profile—Profile 2.0, or BD Live—adds an Ethernet port for Internet access capability, enabling you to get the latest movie trailers or interactive games from the web. Unfortunately, earlier players can't be upgraded to the latest profile. The one exception we know of is the latest version of Sony's PlayStation 3 game console, which can be updated via a firmware upgrade to conform to the BD Live specifications. The first standalone Profile 2.0 players are expected to arrive shortly.

In our opinion, that's a compelling reason to continue waiting. While many of us may be happy simply playing movies, why settle for less than a fully featured model, especially since it will likely carry a cheaper price? But it's up to you to make sure that you're getting a player that has all the Blu-ray functionality currently being offered—something the Blu-ray format has unnecessarily complicated.

—James K. Willcox

High-Def DVDs: Is it time to get Blu-ray?

Ever since the high-def DVD format war began, we've advised would-be buyers to wait until a clear winner emerged. Now that Toshiba has pulled the plug on HD DVD, those of us who've been patiently waiting on the sidelines wonder whether it's now time to buy a Blu-ray player. Unfortunately, we still think the answer is no.

The biggest reason is cost. The cheapest Blu-ray players now sell for about $300, and most go for $350 to $500. By contrast, prices for HD DVD players sometimes slipped below $100. That means the cost for entering the high-def DVD world just tripled for consumers. Conventional wisdom suggests that with HD DVD out of the picture, Blu-ray manufacturers have less incentive to cut prices. That may not be true. Here's why we believe that Blu-ray prices could drop, maybe considerably, later this year.

For one thing, the day Toshiba pulled the plug on HD DVD, all the companies that had banded together to promote the Blu-ray format resumed their usual roles as fierce competitors vying for market share in a burgeoning business. Their message is no longer "Buy Blu-ray," but "Buy Panasonic," "Buy Samsung" and "Buy Sony." That type of competition fuels price cuts.

In addition, we expect to see the first wave of made-in-Taiwan models from new, lower-priced brands hit retail shelves in the U.S. this fall. To compete with established brands, these secondary and tertiary labels will have to price their models lower. That in turn could exert pricing pressure on major-brand models, particularly those targeting mass-market and discount retail channels.

Toshiba pulls plug on HD DVD

Following in the wake of rumors this past weekend that Toshiba was ready to throw in the towel in its almost single-handed campaign to promote HD DVD as the high-definition successor to the DVD, the company this morning confirmed it is pulling the plug on its HD DVD business.

As a result, Blu-ray will become the de facto high-definition DVD format, a move that will now end the high-def stalemate that many believe has delayed mainstream consumer acceptance of a DVD successor.

In a statement released early this morning, Toshiba says it expects to be completely out of the standalone HD DVD player business by the end of March 2008, and will stop volume production of PC drives and recorders while it assesses the market for computer-based products, such as notebook PCs with integrated HD DVD drives.

It's not yet clear what options early adopters of the HD DVD format will have. As of this morning, there were no announcements from the two major studios exclusively supporting the HD DVD format, Paramount and Universal, about their plans, but it's unlikely they will continue supporting a dying format for much longer. It's possible that one or more of the Blu-ray player manufacturers could offer HD DVD player owners an exchange program or some other kind of promotional offer to bring them into the Blu-ray camp.

In the statement, Toshiba said that after undertaking a thorough review of its overall strategy for HD DVD, it "decided it will no longer develop, manufacture and market HD DVD players and recorders." The move, the company says, is the result of "recent major changes in the market," most likely the decisions by Warner Bros., to stop issuing movies in the HD DVD format and Wal-Mart to stop carrying HD DVD products.

Toshiba says it will continue to provide "full product support and after-sales service for all owners of Toshiba HD DVD products." The company also reaffirmed its commitment to standard-definition DVD, and said it would continue to "maintain collaborative relations with the companies who joined with Toshiba in working to build up the HD DVD market, including Universal Studios, Paramount Pictures, and DreamWorks Animation...  as well as leaders in the IT industry, including Microsoft, Intel, and HP."

—James K. Willcox

Rear-Projection HDTVs: More innovation, fewer choices?

There's a deepening paradox about rear-projection TVs (RPTVs), those video giants with screens that run upwards of 70 inches in size. On the one hand, based on our Ratings of RPTVs (available to ConsumerReports.org subscribers), sets have continued to get better. And as we learned at the Consumer Electronics Show this month, there's still quite a bit of innovation in the category. Mitsubishi and Samsung have been experimenting with alternative backlighting sources for these sets—Samsung already with a growing number of LED-based sets (such as the HL-T6187S rear-projection TV set seen at right), and Mitsubishi poised to launch the first laser-lit rear-projection sets later this year. In addition, both companies have been offering fairly impressive 3D demos when their sets are used with optional 3D glasses and stereoscopic content.

But those pluses aren't enough for most consumers, who can now get a thinner plasma or LCD set of comparable size to an RPTV set at a comparable price. As a result, RPTV sales continue to dwindle; Toshiba, for one, now estimates the total rear-projection market at a paltry 650,000 units, out of an overall digital TV market of more than 23 million sets.

Little wonder, then, that the number of manufacturers making rear-projection sets continues to decline. Sony and Toshiba recently defected from the rear-projection TV market, and, based on what we saw at CES this month, there's a strong likelihood that by this summer, there will only be two major rear-projection players left: Samsung and Mitsubishi. Neither JVC nor Panasonic, traditionally strong RPTV players, showed new rear-projection models at the show and a JVC executive this week confirmed that no new sets are on the horizon this year. That leads us to believe these companies will announce their exits from the RPTV market sometime in the coming months.

The slimming of the market means that both LCoS (the technology used by JVC, which markets it as D-ILA) and rear-projection LCD (the format used by Panasonic) would essentially disappear from the market. That would leave DLP as the only remaining rear-projection technology. (LCD and LCoS continue to remain important technologies in the front-projector TV market, however.)

For consumers, the decline of RPTV will mean fewer model to choose from if a projection set does make sense for your needs. (See our buying advice on rear-projection TVs to determine if an RTPV is right for you.) It might also provide good deals on really big sets, as Samsung and Mitsubishi duke it out for the remaining RPTV buyers. We'll continue to monitor the rear-projection business, including testing the likes of those laser-lit Mitsubishis later in the year. But it appears that the handwriting is already on the wall: it's only a matter of time before RPTVs follow in the path of CRT sets and become a historical footnote in the evolution of TV displays.

—James K. Willcox

PMA 2008 Preview: What's incoming in cameras and more

Each year, camera enthusiasts and pros wait to see what the major camera manufacturers will introduce at the annual Photo Marketing Association trade show (PMA), which will take place this year in Las Vegas from Jan. 31 through Feb. 2. And while some companies opted to unveil some products at CES, just three weeks ago, most have chosen to stick with PMA08 to introduce not only cameras, but also lenses, printers, software, and photo accessories.

Starting Wednesday, I'll be at the show, posting the latest news about cameras and related products and services to this blog.

Although I expect a few surprises at the show, some developments and trends are already evident. Here's what I expect to see, by camera type or technology:

Super Bowl: Getting a big screen for the big game

There's still time to get a new high-definition TV delivered and set up before Super Bowl Sunday, but the countdown clock is ticking.

Best Buy and Circuit City, two of the biggest players in the TV business, promise they'll have your new set up and running by kickoff as long as you seal the deal by Jan. 26 or Jan. 30, respectively. Online giant Amazon.com has a cut-off date of Jan. 26. P.C. Richard & Sons, a regional chain in the Northeast, takes the prize for last-minute specials, giving procrastinators up to noon on game day to buy a set in a New York or New Jersey store. That's the big picture—with all these deals, there are restrictions and caveats, as spelled out below.

Sears doesn't specifically guarantee delivery by Feb. 3, but a random check of various models on the company's web site showed that we could have some TVs delivered before game day, depending on zip code. That doesn't include setup; you'd have to call Sears to see when you could get an appointment in your area.

Of course, if you're willing and able to haul your big-screen set home from the store and set it up yourself, you have more time and more options. You can order a set online and pick it up at a local store with Best Buy, Circuit City, Sears, and Wal-mart, or you can head over to a nearby Target or a Costco warehouse for a cash-and-carry transaction.

Don't forget that you'll need high-def TV service in place to enjoy the game in all its big-screen splendor. For cable, satellite, or phone-company fiber-optic service, that means a high-def receiver and service package. If you don't already have such a setup, call your provider ASAP to get the ball rolling. Depending on the company, you can pick up the equipment at a local outlet or have it shipped or delivered. For free off-air broadcasts, all you need is a UHF/VHF antenna hooked up to your new TV (all new sets have the required digital tuner). That's assuming you're in a location where you can pull in signals, without tall buildings, trees, or mountains obstructing transmission.

Then there's the actual setup—putting all the plugs in all the right places. If you've paid for installation, which might run you $100 to $150 for a basic setup, the retailer's crew will hook everything up and make sure you have a high-def picture coming in. Doing it yourself isn't that hard, though. You plug the incoming cable into the HD receiver, then use an HDMI cable, or component-video and audio cables, to connect the receiver to the TV. Tune in an HD channel, and you should be good to go. You should also check the TV's settings to make sure you're getting a full-screen picture with optimal image quality.

One final tip: Hang onto your receipts and check prices for a month or two after your purchase. Many retailers offer a 30-day or 60-day price guarantee, and you can collect the difference if your set is sold at a lower price either at the store itself or at a competitor during that period.

Check out Consumer Reports' Guide to Super Bowl Sunday for more HDTV shopping advice, including access to our Ratings of HDTVs and for tips on throwing a great Super Bowl party.

Now, it's on to the players.

U-should-see U2 in 3D

Consumer Reports doesn't usually cover movies, but "U2 in 3D," which opens today in select theaters, deserves attention for breaking new ground in both 3D technology and the concert-film genre.

This 85-minute film, the first concert performance to be shot in 3D, represents a perfect marriage of artist and technology. The Irish rock veterans specialize in ambitious stage presentations sized for giant venues (like the Sao Paolo and Mexico City soccer stadiums in which the film was shot) and employing cutting-edge technology. The three-dimensional images, captured by a crew of 140, enhance the physical expansiveness of the Irish quartet's performance. An example: The extended shot that captures bassist Adam Clayton in the foreground on one mid-stadium stage and singer Bono on another, with an undulating mass of U2 fans between them. Other footage is shot from behind the musicians, offering panoramic, enveloping views of the crowd in all in its enormity.

The band performed in front of a towering LED screen that displayed mosaiclike patterns, words, and images. (Click on image at left for a closer look.) The film frequently plucks content from the screen and subtly layers it over images of the musicians, creating 3D pastiches—as when a portrait of Martin Luther King floats in the right foreground of the screen as the band kicks into the opening riff of "Pride (In the Name of Love)," their tribute to the Civil Rights leader. (Click on the image, below right, for a closer look.) Similarly, images of the farflung musicians are sometimes integrated on a single screen.

Such layering is just one of the cinematic breakthroughs in this film, the first live-action digital 3D movie. Such editing was all but impossible in the analog 3D era of Vincent Price et al, as was the use of zoom, which required the unfeasible coordination of two separate cameras. For U2 3D, integrated 3D cameras captured both the left- and right-eye stereoscopic images, which you view through a pair of mirrored, squarish glasses that look very much like the stylish shades favored by Bono himself.

But the movie is no gimmickfest, which is part of its artistic achievement. Virtually every other 3D movie has overused gasp-inducing shots solely intended to capitalize on three-dimensionality. The recently released "Beowulf," for example, featured lots of swords brandished toward, and projectiles flying past, the screen. Here, the technology is more artfully integrated, literally adding an extra dimension without distracting from the band's superb performance. The only moments that even approach gimmickry are a few in which Bono writes in the air and fanciful line drawings appear—of a TV set and control knob, in one instance. (The band re-performed some songs without the audience, in order to capture these and other closeup shots; the resulting shots balance the dizzying, full-stadium shots with an equally thrilling intimacy.)

This is one film that you can't plan to see later at home. Although 3D video for HDTVs is advancing, there are as yet no plans to make "U2 3D" available in any household platform. The film is playing in about 60 theaters in the US and Canada this week (the complete list is at U23Dmovie.com) and goes into wider release in mid-February. No one who loves U2, concert movies, or the latest in cinematic technology should miss it.

—Paul Reynolds

MacBook Air, super-thin notebook, introduced

What may be the most talked about of Apple's four major product releases Steve Jobs introduced today is a new addition to the MacBook line called the MacBook Air. With a teardrop profile only 0.76 inches at its thickest point, it's the thinnest notebook computer ever. (You can get closer looks at the new MacBook Air by clicking on each of the embedded images.)

Apple didn't compromise much on features. There's a full-size, backlit keyboard, 13.3-inch screen, iSight webcam, large trackpad with multi-touch gesture support (similar to the iPhone's, which lets you use your fingers in more ways than the traditional tapping and sliding), plus a new magnetic latch.

There are only three ports on the right side: USB2, MicroDVI, and a headphone jack. (There's no Ethernet port for wired networking, but that's not really an issue with a notebook designed for extreme portability.) Apple says that the 1.6-GHz Core 2 Duo processor is 60 percent smaller than chips made for other models. The standard MacBook Air comes with an 80GB hard drive—or a 64GB solid-state drive for an additional $999. The standard memory configuration is 2-GB and Apple claims 5 hours of battery life. The built-in wireless capability supports 802.11n and Bluetooth 2.1+EDR.

There's no internal CD/DVD burner; to use discs you need the $99 external MacBook Air SuperDrive which connects to the USB port. Also, a new custom application in Leopard called "Remote Disk" lets you wirelessly "borrow" other users' CD/DVD drives.

In keeping with Apple's environmental initiatives, MacBook Air notebooks have a fully recyclable aluminum case, displays that are mercury and arsenic free, and logic boards that are BFR and PVC free. In addition, the packaging has 56 percent less volume, to save trees.

The base model, which starts at $1,799, pairs a 1.6-GHz processor with an 80-GB Parallel ATA hard drive. A second model that features a 1.8-GHz processor and 64-GB solid-state drive starts at $3,098. Both ship in two to three weeks, but can be pre-ordered starting today.

Compared with Windows-based 13-inch slim-and-light notebooks we've rated (Consumer Reports' Ratings are available to ConsumerReports.org subscribers only), the MacBook Air is pricier and its hard drive is a bit slower and has a smaller capacity, but weighs more than a pound less. When compared with notebooks in the 3-pound range, such as the Sony TZ series 11-inch or Toshiba Portege R500 12-inch, its pricing is very competitive.

Toshiba Cuts Prices on All its HD DVD Players

Marketing ploy, or last-ditch effort to stem the tide toward Blu-ray?

Toshiba has cut prices on its three HD DVD players to $150 for its entry-level model to $300 for the top-of-the-line unit. The company says it reduced everyday prices because of success with promotional pricing over the holidays.

However, the timing of the cuts—just two weeks after Warner Bros. announced that it would support Blu-ray exclusively—could just as easily be taken as a last-ditch effort to keep HD DVD alive. Price cuts could boost the installed base of HD DVD players enough to keep the two studios still exclusively backing the format, Paramount/DreamWorks and Universal, in its camp.

The new HD DVD pricing is already in effect. The entry-level 1080i model, the HD-A3 (click on image above for a closer look.), is now $150, and the step-up 1080p model, the HD-A30, is now $200. The flagship HD-A35 player is now priced at $300. Toshiba is still running its free software promotion, which gives HD DVD buyers a choice of five free HD DVD titles from a list of 15 movies. To help bolster education and satisfaction with HD DVD players, Toshiba recently launched an "HD DVD Concierge" program, which provides a toll-free number where customers can receive answers to general questions or help using a player.

Given the uncertain future of the HD DVD format, it's hard to recommend purchasing an HD DVD player, even at the lower price. However, if you need to replace a standard-def DVD (and weren't really considering a high-def model), an HD DVD player could be an option if you can find one at close to the same price. These players will play—and upconvert—standard DVDs, and a decent library of high-def movies in this format is still available. And if HD DVD loses the format war, there may be some great deals on HD DVD movies as retailers clean out their inventories.

—James K. Willcox

Sony XEL-1: Our first impressions of OLED TV

The first OLED TV to hit the stores is stunning but expensive

[Jan. 18, 2008 UPDATE: We've produced a video report that highlights the features of the Sony XEL-1 OLED TV. If you have Flash software installed, you can view the video here (clicking the link launches a new browser window) or in the video player embedded below. —Ed.]

Remember the first time you saw a plasma TV, the first television without a big caboose behind the screen? You were probably wondering, "Where’s the rest of the set?" You might have the same reaction when you see the new Sony XEL-1. (Click on the image at right for a closer look.)

This 11-inch widescreen television is wafer-thin, just 1/8th of an inch deep, a fraction of the depth of even the slimmest LCD or plasma sets. (Click on the image below, left,for a closer look at the XEL-1's thinness.) The XEL-1 uses a new panel technology called OLED (Organic Light-Emitting Diode), which offers stunning picture quality. The catch is the steep price: $2,500 for this small screen, which is half the size of some computer displays.

If the slim, stylish display panel, which comes mounted to a sleek-looking stand, isn’t enough to get your attention, its picture quality surely will. This TV gets high marks on all fronts, with picture quality that is simply amazing. It displays the deepest blacks we've seen, better than even the best plasma or CRT sets we've tested. At the same time, images are bright, with high contrast, yielding a picture that looks great in both a bright or darkened room. On dark scenes containing black areas, no light is visible from this panel, even when viewed in a dark room. Colors look accurate and are richly saturated.

While the display's native resolution maxes out at 960x540 (about one-quarter the resolution of 1080p HD, but better than DVD resolution), we saw very impressive detail from typical HD programming. That's because the screen is so small that there are still enough pixels per square inch to render satisfying detail. DVDs also looked terrific. This TV can accept image format resolutions from 480i up to 1080p. The less-than-HD resolution will not leave you wanting for detail in this screen size, and if you have a high-quality HD video source, this little TV will deliver.

In addition, it has a virtually unlimited viewing angle, so there's no problem with off-center viewing, as there is with most LCD sets. Sound is also quite good, better than you might expect given the small size of the set.

It's not perfect, though. The $2,500 price tag is extremely steep, considering the tiny screen size. But prices for OLED screens should drop over time as they did for LCD and plasma TVs, which were far more costly a few years back than they are today.

Also, given its smallish 11-inch screen, this TV is not suitable as a primary set; it's best used for very up-close viewing, say on a kitchen counter while you're preparing dinner or on a desk as you're working (though you need to take care not to scratch the specially coated screen). Models with larger screens are in the works; at CES, Sony showed a prototype of a 27-inch model, and Samsung had a 31-inch prototype, but didn’t have information about when they might be available, or for how much.

The lack of analog inputs could also be an issue. Although this TV has two HDMI inputs and an antenna jack (and NTSC, QAM and ATSC tuners that will allow it to receive free over-the-air analog and digital broadcasts, plus analog and digital cable signals), it has no component-video, S-video or composite-video inputs, which you'll still find on many DVD players and cable and satellite receivers). That could limit the use of the TV with some older components.

We'll be taking a closer look at the XEL-1 over the next few days and we'll report what we find on ConsumerReports.org soon. Bookmark this post or the Electronics section of the ConsumerReports.org website to find the link to our upcoming free online video report on the XEL-1 OLED TV.

But if you're in the market for a top-performing, small widescreen TV, be sure to put this Sony at the top of your list—provided, of course, that money is no object. With its steep price of $2,500, this little 11-incher costs more than many of our top-rated big-screen plasma and LCD sets. All things considered, if Sony's new OLED TV is any example of what this new technology can deliver, we can't wait to see more.

—Claudio Ciacci, Senior Project Leader

[Jan. 14, 2008 UPDATE: We neglected to mention that the Sony XEL-1 also has a QAM (digital cable TV) tuner built-in and that this report was prepared by Claudio Ciacci, one of Consumer Reports' experts in TV technology and testing. —Ed.]

OLED Explained
Back to top

Organic Light-Emitting Diode, or OLED, is a very thin display technology that combines some of the best elements of plasma and LCD TVs. Like LCD, OLED is very thin—much thinner than even the slimmest LCDs. And like plasma, OLED is an emissive technology—its organic materials give off light—so no bulky backlight is required. The brightness of the light depends on the amount of current supplied to it. When the light is off, these screens can display absolute black, better than any other current TV technology. They are also extremely bright, with a wider range of colors than current flat-panel sets. And OLED sets have an incredibly fast response time, so motion blur is not a problem, as it can be with LCD sets. They're also more energy efficient than current TV technologies.

However, there are also some disadvantages. One is that OLED's organic materials can have a limited lifetime, shorter than that of other display technologies. Another is that the screens can be vulnerable to damage. But perhaps the biggest drawback is that they're currently very expensive to manufacture, particularly in larger screen sizes. At present, there are no larger-sized screens commercially available, and the price of even an 11-inch model is higher than many 50-inch flat-panel TVs.

CES 2008: Camcorders Retooled, Not Redefined

At CES this year, camcorder makers brought out their newest lines of