Review: `GotG Vol. 2′ UHD Blu-ray Takes HDR Through Its Paces

August 15th, 2017 · 2160p, 4K Flat Panel, 4K LED LCD, Blu-ray Discs, Blu-ray Players, Blu-ray Titles, Connected TVs, Disc Reviews, Dolby Atmos, HDR, height channels, object-based audio, Surround Sound, UHDTV, Ultra HD Blu-ray Players

 

When director James Gunn revealed on his Facebook page recently that Walt Disney Studios had given him the nod to not only release his Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 in 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray, but with high dynamic range, it marked a giant milestone for the new format.

One of the last major holdouts had finally blessed the new 4K optical disc and accompanying HDR technology. Hopefully this is an indication that many more titles will soon be finding their way onto consumer 4K screens. After all, it was Disney that brought us the Wonderful World of Color back when color TV was new, and it was Disney that aggressively championed the Blu-ray format a decade ago.

Read more of our review of the 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray version of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 after the jump:

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Sony Rolls Out Nationwide `α Trade Up’ Camera Promotion

August 14th, 2017 · 2160p, Digital Camera/Camcorder, HDR, Lenses, News, UHDTV

 

Anyone looking to upgrade a DSLR should be interested in checking out a new promotional offer announced by Sony Electronics Monday.

The company unveiled a new nationwide “α Trade Up” retail event offering up to a $500 bonus offer on top of the trade-in value of a working DSLR or mirrorless camera.

The bonus offer can be applied to the purchase of several full-frame Sony cameras including the powerful flagship α9 as well as the α7R II, α7S II and α7 II models.

A variety of α full-frame lenses and α accessories are also eligible.

The trade-in and trade-up summertime bonus deal runs now through September 30, 2017, and is offered in parallel with instant rebates of up to $200 on the same eligible products, Sony said.

Read more on Sony’s “α Trade Up” after the jump:

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Samsung To Begin Mid-August TV Specials Sunday

August 11th, 2017 · 2160p, 4K Flat Panel, 4K LED LCD, Connected TVs, Curved Screen, HDMI, HDR, LCD Flat Panel, LED LCD Flat Panels, News, UHDTV

 

Beginning Sunday, Aug. 13, 2017 and running one week, until Aug. 19th, Samsung will be offering mid-August special instant rebate pricing promotions on a range of 4K Ultra HD LED-LCD TV models across all QLED model series and six MU series lines.

The company will also continue to offer increased rebate specials on four MU9000 series 4K Ultra HD LED-LCD TV models.

The limited-time offers include instant rebate savings of up to $2,000 on the top-of-the-line 65-inch Q9 QLED TV, offering one of the highest peak brightness readings we’ve yet measured on a quantum dot television and a wider-than-average viewing angle for an LCD set.

Affected models include the, QN75Q9F and QN65Q9F (flat screen) flagship QLED models; the QN75Q8C, QN65Q8C and QN558C (curved screen) QLED TVs; the QN75Q7F, QN65Q7F QN55Q7F (flat screen), QN65Q7C, QN55Q7C (curved screen) QLED TVs; the UN75MU9000, UN65MU9000, UN55MU9000 and UN50MU9000 4K Ultra HD LED-LCD TVs; the UN65MU8500, the UN65MU8000 and UN49MU8000, UN65MU7500, UN65MU7000 and the 50-inch UN50MU5300 4K Ultra HD LED LCD TVs.

Promotional prices take effect Sunday. Check links below for latest offers, and please note that some models are on earlier promotions that might be less expensive than they will be on Sunday.

Read more after the jump to find the latest round of special Samsung promotional pricing offers.

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Review: Nothing `Shoddy’ About Sharp LC-65P8000 4K HDR TV

August 9th, 2017 · 2160p, 4K Flat Panel, 4K LED LCD, Calibration, Connected TVs, Curved Screen, Full Array LED Backlit with Local Dimming, HDMI, HDR, LCD Flat Panel, LED LCD Flat Panels, OLED, Review, UHDTV

 

The Sharp 2017 LC-65P8000 is a mid-range 4K Ultra HD LED-LCD TV with very good picture quality when viewed in a darkened room. The set has a good local dimming system and direct-lit LED backlighting that produces deep black levels for an LCD.

The $1,299.99 LC-65P8000 also is a competent gaming display, with low-input lag and minimal motion blur. Its primary weakness is that it’s not very bright for a high dynamic range (HDR) TV, which tends to limit its ability to present peak brightness and a wide range of color in full glory.

Being an LCD, the television also exhibits the typical amount of degraded contrast and color quality when viewed off-axis, but over all, we found it to be a good 4K television for the money.

Read more of our review of the Sharp LC-65P8000 after the jump:

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UHDA Names New Chairman, First Fulltime President

August 8th, 2017 · 2160p, 4K Flat Panel, 4K Front Projection, 4K LED LCD, Blu-ray Discs, Blu-ray Players, Cable TV, Connected TVs, Dolby Atmos, DTS:X, HDR, LCD Flat Panel, LED LCD Flat Panels, News, object-based audio, OLED, OLED, OTT services, Sound Bars, Sound Systems, Streaming Services, Surround Sound, Surround Sound Systems, UHD (4K) Media Players, UHD 4K OLED, UHDTV

Mike Fidler, new UHDA president

UPDATE! We have included an interview with new UHDA President Mike Fidler after the jump in the story. Read on for his mission objectives.

The Ultra HD Alliance (UHDA), the inter-industry group working on 4K UHD standards recommendations and the promotion of UHD and HDR benefits and performance to consumers, announced a new slate of executive officers including Michael Zink, technology VP of Warner Bros. as the new board chairman, and long-time consumer electronics industry veteran Mike Fidler, as the group’s first fulltime president.

Additionally, the group said it is recognizing the importance of next-generation audio to the overall home entertainment experience by advancing long-time member-level UHDA company Xperi Corporation (DTS parent company) to the UHDA board.

As was started with the original leadership, the new executives are expected to bring a balanced and neutral point of view to the shifting technological landscape, in the midst of the implementation of new HDR technologies and multiple object-based audio systems.

Read more about the UHDA board changes after the jump:

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Apple Files Patent For Hybrid OLED-QD Display Technology

August 4th, 2017 · 4K Flat Panel, 4K LED LCD, Full Array LED Backlit with Local Dimming, LCD Flat Panel, LED LCD Flat Panels, News, OLED, OLED, UHD 4K OLED, UHDTV

 

The debate between display enthusiasts over OLED vs quantum dot technology as the future benchmark standard for television and mobile device picture quality might eventually be answered by Apple, if recent hybrid technology filed this week at the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) finds its way to market.

Apple is seeking to patent technology that melds the color and power-handling benefits of quantum dot technology with the fast response time and self-emissive nature of organic light emitting diode (OLED) technology, according to the USPTO documents first reported Thursday by website Apple Insider.

The concept is not unlike what executives with Samsung and quantum dot resource Nanosys have discussed as “electroluminescent quantum dot technology,” which is another way of saying self-emissive quantum dot technology.

This was once labeled QLED by now-defunct quantum dot developer QD Vision, but that company’s assets and the term have been acquired by Samsung. Interestingly, Apple’s patent application lists Jonathan Steckel, co-founder of QD Vision, as the lead on a list of the technology’s developers.

QLED now generically stands for “quantum dot light emitting diode” displays, and is more of an umbrella term for technologies that use quantum dots to create images.

Read more on Apple’s stab at hybrid OLED/quantum dot technology after the jump:

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Samsung Promo Offers Big Savings On 2017 QLED TV Models

August 2nd, 2017 · 2160p, 4K Flat Panel, 4K LED LCD, Connected TVs, Curved Screen, HDMI, HDR, LCD Flat Panel, LED LCD Flat Panels, News, Second Screen, UHDTV

Fans of the wide color gamut and bright color volume produced by the latest quantum dot technology will want to take note that Samsung Electronics this month is running special promotional pricing on a number of its higher-tier QLED TV models.

It’s also offering a deal on a 4K UHD and HDR-ready LED-LCD TV model, sans quantum dots.

A Samsung spokesman confirmed that the company is now offering special promotional prices on select QLED models and one non-QLED HDR set. The deals began in late July and are scheduled to run through Aug. 12th (or until supplies last), in many cases, dealers told us.

Affected models include the 75-inch UN75MU9000 (non-quantum dot), QN75Q9F (flat screen) and QN75Q8C (curved screen); the 65-inch QN65Q8C and QN65Q9F QLED TVs; and the 55-inch QN55Q7F 4K UHD entry QLED TV.

Read more on Samsung’s on-going TV promotions, including links, after the jump:

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Klipsch Adds Reference Dolby Atmos Speaker Pair

August 1st, 2017 · 2160p, Amazon, Audio, Dolby Atmos, front channels, height channels, News, object-based audio, Reference Materials, Sound Systems, Surround Sound, Surround Sound Systems

 

Klipsch introduced Tuesday its Reference Dolby Atmos enabled home theater speakers, which can join the company’s popular Reference Premiere series speaker line-up to add new dimensionality to the home theater 3D-listening experience.

The new speakers use the same two-way, horn-loaded Dolby Atmos enabled speaker technologies that have given Klipsch Dolby Atmos models their distinctive sound and popularity.

Dolby Atmos is an object-based surround sound technology that produces 3D-like immersive sound qualities with a wide sound stage, clear authentic sound and the addition of overhead channels that surround listeners from all angles.

Read more about the new Klipsch Reference Dolby Atmos speaker additions after the jump:

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