Samsung has rapidly (in the last few years, at least) taken over the flatscreen market with its LCD TVs. But, just as everybody else was catching up, the company has further flexed its technology muscles with its LED-backlit panels, and therefore taken a significant foothold in a new, unexplored sector.  read more »

Televisions are changing... again. Just as we were getting used to the current flatscreen landscape, a new generation of superscreens has marched onto the High Street, threatening to make regular sets look as exciting as a copy of last month's TV Times.

With cutting-edge features such as LED backlighting for better picture quality and internet TV with multimedia networking, these displays demand to be auditioned. That's why in the latest issue of Home Cinema Choice we compare the newest models that push the boundaries of TV reception and go in-depth with  read more »

In a surprise move, high-end home entertainment manufacturer Linn Products Limited has announced that it is ceasing production of CD players from the start of 2010.

In what the company is describing 'a testament to the supremacy of digital streaming technology', the company is shifting its focus onto Linn DS digital music streamers and the ability to download 192kHz original studio  read more »

Sony is banking on 3D and network applications to turn around its struggling TV business, and will aim for a 20 per cent share of the worldwide LCD TV market by 2012.

So says Chief Executive Howard Stringer. Talking to analysts, Stringer confirmed that his company is adopting a raft of new strategies to get back on course, but admits that it’s not going to be  read more »

The new PlayStation Network movie download store has  opened for business in the UK and select European territories. The online store was launched in London yesterday with a huge party featuring media from across Europe. Kooky pop princess Little Boots crooned as commentators jostled for a look at the new system.

Sony says users have a choice of 800 movie titles from a wide range of studios – both new releases and back catalogue titles. Unlike Xbox’s new 1080p streaming service, the PSN proposal involves  read more »

Controversial first-person-shooter Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 has racked up worldwide sales of $550 million in just five days, prompting Robert Kotick, CEO of Activision Blizzard, to declare the title ‘the largest entertainment launch in history and a pop culture phenomenon!’  read more »

Despite howls of protest from the consumer electronics industry, the California Energy Commission (CEC) has finally voted unanimously to outlaw TVs which do not comply with strict energy guidelines.

According to the CEC, all new TVs with screen sizes up to 58ins will need to be more energy-efficient from 2011, with more draconian requirements kicking-in from 2013: in practice this means that 42in TVs must use less than 183W by 2011 and less than 116W by  read more »

Onkyo has inked a forward-looking deal with Intel to co-develop motherboards for audio visual use. The company, which currently dominates the UK’s AV receiver scene, believes that by utlising chips designed for PCs into its home cinema hardware, it can both control development costs and more easily build internet functionality into its  read more »

An unseen version of the second pilot episode of the original Star Trek TV series looks likely to be one of the key reasons to beam up the pending six-disc Season 3 release of the series on Blu-ray.

Trekkies (Trekkers?) will finally be able to enjoy the original cut of Where No Man Has Gone Before, the first episode to feature James T Kirk, with footage previously edited from the broadcast version, alongside a different opening monologue and theme. It will be presented on BD in  read more »

LG has employed a parkour performance troupe to officially launch its new SL8000 LCD and SL9000 LED TV ranges. The athletic display was designed to emphasise the freedom offered to users by its new 'seamless' screens, and kickstarts a multi-million pound campaign to promote the brand.

With integrated Bluetooth connectivity (for easy display of digital camera/phone jpegs) and no external bezel, the new models are designed to function at  read more »