Want to connect PC with your TV?

Product summary

The good: Wirelessly streams a PC's screen and audio to TVs; supports resolution up to 1,600x1,200 pixels; easy-to-use software.

The bad: Getting full-screen flash video to work was problematic; expensive; TVs without a VGA or DVI port will need additional adapters; complicated audio setup; won't work with CRT TVs; no Mac compatibility; no HDMI support out of box.

The bottom line: The IOGear Wireless Audio/Video Kit may be expensive, but once set up, it's one of the easiest ways to get your TV to work as your computer's monitor.

Price range: $236.36 - $332.00

It's no secret we're inching ever closer toward ditching our cable or satellite television services in favor of Internet-only content consumption. With services such as Hulu and YouTube, the computer has become the video entertainment hub of the home. Getting that computer's desktop screen onto your television seems like the next natural evolution.

There are products out there that will download and display content on your television such as Apple TV and the Vudu BX100, but having the freedom of using your TV as your ultimate display is ideal. IOGear offers this solution in the form of the Wireless Audio/Video Kit for your PC. It may be expensive, but once set up, it's one of the easiest ways to get your TV to work as your computer's monitor.

Setup

Out of the box, the IOGear kit is a bit intimidating. Literally, more than a dozen wires, power adapters, and dongles need to be set in place for the system to work properly. Most of these accessories disappear after the initial process, and you should be able to hide most of them in your entertainment center. All this aside, IOGear provides you with everything you need (assuming you have an open VGA port on your TV).

First off, you'll want to install the IOGear software that will tell your computer to extend its desktop to another display. The process is painless and should complete within just a minute or two. A USB dongle with an antenna needs to be attached to your desktop or laptop to stream a signal to the display.

Somewhere near the back of your TV you'll have to place the video receiver--it's a small box with an antenna that requires power. It's only out-port is VGA (the kit also ships with a VGA to DVI adapter), so if your TV does not support those two interfaces, things get a bit fuzzy. You'll either need to purchase an expensive VGA-to-HDMI converter or another third-party device that will make the transition for you. Since VGA is an analog connection, a DVI-to-HDMI adapter won't work here. Luckily for us, our Samsung LCD TV had an open VGA port.

Once the rear video receiver is powered and connected to your TV (and you've attached your USB dongle to your computer), you should receive a video signal. The software in your Windows' system tray will offer various resolutions that can be displayed (up to 1,600x1,200 pixels). The quicker your machine, the easier time it'll have displaying larger resolutions. From that icon you'll also be able to choose the screen's orientation and whether you'd like it to mirror your computer's display.

Getting audio to work properly is an entirely separate process. First, you must connect the audio receiver to your computer via an included USB. This connection will install an audio driver onto the machine that will instruct the computer's audio to stream whenever that original USB dongle is attached. Confused yet? Fortunately, this is a one-time setup.

That audio receiver you have attached to your PC can then be hidden behind your TV where it will require power and an audio connection to either the TV itself or a receiver. Once again, we lucked out with our Samsung TV as an open 3.5-millimeter audio-in jack rested next to the VGA port. The kit includes a 3.5-millimeter to left and right RCA analog cables should you need to use that interface.

It may take a minute or two to sync up, but whenever your USB dongle is connected to the PC, it will then stream video and audio to both respective receivers.

After completing this somewhat tedious initial set up, you should be good to go from here on out. The software loads up automatically with Windows so you'll be able to plug and play whenever you pop in the USB dongle.

Performance

We were impressed with how well the kit was able to stream our laptop's screen to our Samsung LCD TV. Running at 1,600x1,200 pixels, the feed was crisp and clear, enabling us to read text displayed in ourbrowser.

Hulu, YouTube, and CNET TV also performed well but we did have a few issues getting Flash video to play correctly in full-screen mode. For some reason, these videos would freeze once we entered full-screen mode. Oddly enough, dragging and resizing a window to almost full-screen width played normally. All other offline video played fine and our VLC player handled full-screen mode with ease. Of course, better performance will rely on your computer's speed, which will dictate how will it can play video at such high resolutions. You may want to bump down the resolution of the streaming display as your machine may have an easier time playing video at a lower resolution.

In terms of range, we were able to successfully stream video and audio from about 25 feet out until things began to get choppy. This seemed on par with the manual's claim of 30 feet.

Alternatives

As we mentioned, there are only a few products available with similar feature sets. One alternative to the IOGear kit is a SlingCatches, available online for about $200. SlingCatcher can mirror your PC's screen on a TV (in addition to stream content from other Slingboxes), but it relies on a home network connection to do so. Unfortunately, it doesn't offer any wireless Internet connectivity, so you'll need to keep it hard-wired to your router. Also, it can only support a resolution of up to 1,024x768 pixels, while the IOGear can handle up to 1,600x1,200 pixels.

There's also the DIY approach to getting similar results. For less than the IOGear's asking price, you can put together a wired solution that can make use of your desktop or laptop's video-out ports. Most current laptops even have HDMI-out ports that you can simply plug into the back of your HDTV. Audio works the same way--you'll just attach a 3.5-millimeter plug from the headphone jack on your machine to your TV or receiver.

Going wireless is another story. There aren't any inexpensive ways to stream an HDMI signal, so you may want to try leaving your laptop next to your TV. This way, you'll be able to use a keyboard and mouse wirelessly that should create that same sort of desired effect. Of course, this won't mirror your Windows desktop, you'll simply be using your TV as your computer's screen.

Conclusion

Priced about $300, the IOGear Wireless Audio/Video Kit is definitely expensive. However, if you're not willing to try to concoct your own setup and a SlingCatcher doesn't sound right for you, this is definitely an easy way to stream your computer's screen to your TV. Setup may be a bit tiresome, but the one-time hassle is worth the trouble if you're thinking about ditching your cable or satellite service.

Technology Update: Daily Updates on newly launched Gadgets, Gizmos, Mobiles, PC's & Laptops, Hacking, Gaming & Emerging Technological Trends.

iRiver NV Classic PMP with GPS and DMB-T TV

iRiver introduces the new NV Classic portable multimedia player that is designed for your car. The NV Classic features a 7-inch 800×480 touchscreen display, integrated DMB-T digital TV tuner and support for most media formats.

Based on SiRFPrima platform and SiRF GRF3i GPS receiver, the NV Classic runs Windows CE 6.0. It has built-in 1.5Wx2 speakers and a SD card slot supporting up to 4GB cards.

Support media formats:
Video: MPEG1, MPEG4, WMV9, XivD
Audio: MP3, WMA, OGG, WAV
Image: BMP, JPEG

Techno Uptodate: Daily Updates on newly launched Gadgets, Gizmos, Mobiles, PC's & Laptops, Hacking, Gaming & Emerging Technological Trends.

Panasonic TC-P42S1

The popularity of plasma HDTVs continues to wane, but Panasonic's new display technology may give shoppers reason to reconsider. The company claims the updated panel on its 42-inch TC-P42S1 ($1,099.95 list) maintains perfect picture detail no matter how complex the on-screen action, and my testing on the set backs up that claim. Furthermore, this set and others in the S1 line are competitively priced when compared with same-size LCD models. And for a plasma, it's very energy efficient out of the box. The biggest problem with the TC-P42S1: It's less skilled than previous Panasonic models I've tested at upconversion, and cinema purists will need to calibrate the set for a more accurately colored picture.

The simple yet stylish frame design includes a glossy black bezel with rounded corners and edges. On the curved bottom edge are an oversize, centrally located power button and a bright red LED indicator light. Internal bottom-firing speakers minimize the set's overall width. In my testing, I found sound quality was improved by upping the bass level in the TV's setup menu. The basic remote control's tapered backside provides a solid grip, and its large buttons are clearly labeled.

As befitting an entry-level set, the TC-P42S1 sports only a minimal selection of ports, including three HDMI (one of which is side-mounted), two component video inputs, an RF input, and an SD card slot (also side-mounted) for accessing and displaying digital images using the integrated photo browser. (There's no VGA port on this set, but you'll find one on Panasonic's THX-certified G10-series plasma sets.) We recommend using the HDMI ports for the full, 1080p experience; just know that if you want to eliminate overscan, the setting is buried in the TV's menus. And, if you're using component video or playing any format other than 1080i or 1080p, eliminating overscan is not an available menu option, and as a result you could lose up to 6 percent of picture detail.

In initial setup, the TV defaults to the Standard picture preset, which reduces overall brightness in order to minimize power consumption (more on that later). An energy-guzzling Vivid picture mode produces what may very well be the brightest picture I've ever seen from a plasma set. The Cinema preset most closely measures up to the color and detail standards used in video production, but its white balance was a bit too green, and there are no controls in the user menus to correct this.

The TC-P42S1 averaged a contrast ratio of 1,146:1 when viewed in a dark room; that's slightly lower than what we saw with last year's Panasonic TH-46PZ85U, which managed an average contrast result of 1,408:1 because it produced a darker black level. In a bright room, the set's relatively dark screen color and ample light output helped it maintain good apparent picture contrast compared with the otherwise excellent Vizio VP505XVT, which has a lighter-colored screen.

Previous Panasonic plasmas I've reviewed were terrific at upconversion, but the TC-P42S1 takes a big step backward. Its performance with the HQV Benchmark DVD revealed poor jagged-edge suppression and inconsistencies in detecting video originally captured at 24 frames per second (most movies), resulting in increased artifacts and loss of detail. Viewing a selection of classic DVD movies proved that the TV can maintain consistent color in bright and dark scenes, but some titles exhibited moiré artifacts that made some edge details appear to crawl. The set also failed the film tests on the Microsoft DVD Test Annex disc, which is more challenging than any typical video clip but is not designed to exceed the capabilities of the average HDTV.

Panasonic claims the TC-P42S1's Neo PDP panel technology maintains full video resolution with on-screen action of any complexity, and it showed more of the details of my motion-related test patterns and real-world content than any HDTV I've seen, including LED-backlit LCD sets such as the Samsung LN55A950 and Sony's KDL-46XBR8. One issue with Panasonic plasmas that remains unchanged is the presence of crawling jagged-edge artifacts when 1080i content is converted to 1080p. Considering how many 1080p televisions from other manufacturers get this right (for instance, the Pioneer KURO PDP-5020FD), it seems odd that this problem has plagued Panasonic sets for several product generations.

The TC-P42S1's default picture setting reduces its picture brightness in order to earn the set an Energy Star rating. With this configuration, the set's average power consumption is 149W, with an estimated operating cost of $2.59 per month based on 5 hours of daily use at $0.1135 per kWh (the 2008 national average). LCDs generate more light output with the same amount of energy, but the TC-P42S1's consumption result is the best we've seen from a plasma set, and is lower than with many LCD televisions of similar size, including the LG 42LGX (207W) and the Vizio SV420XVT (195W). Ironically, configuring the TC-P42S1 to use its Cinema preset, which on most HDTVs reduces overall brightness and energy consumption, actually drew more power—an additional 41W—and produced a correspondingly brighter picture compared with the default setup.

The speedy pixels of plasma televisions have always delivered superior motion picture detail when compared with their LCD counterparts, and you get wider viewing angles with plasma. Some of the latest LED televisions can capture fast motion detail as well, but they're currently priced much higher than similarly sized S1-series plasmas. The Panasonic TC-P42S1's value does come at the expense of degraded upconversion performance and an unimpressive cinema preset, however. Still, this is a solid, energy-efficient plasma at a good price.

Techno Uptodate: Daily Updates on newly launched Gadgets, Gizmos, Mobiles, PC's & Laptops, Hacking, Gaming & Emerging Technological Trends.

JVC's HD LCD monitor for digital SLR users

Most of us would purchase a high definition LCD TV for entertainment purposes, checking out the latest Blu-ray releases on them while drooling at the level of detail such sets offer. Well, JVC takes a different route this time round with their new Xiview LT-42WX70 being a 42″ class 120Hz 1080p LCD TV monitor which caters specifically to digital imaging professionals and enthusiasts who do plenty of shooting using high-end digital SLR cameras. The Xiview LT-42WX70 will make room for shutterbugs to see the subtle colors, details and textures of their images faithfully reproduced for the first time on a HD LCD TV right smack in the middle of your living room.

The monitor will come with expanded color space capacity that encompasses 100% of HDTV broadcasting’s (sRGB.904) color space alongside a coverage rate of 96% for Adobe RGB, which is the color space for still photographs taken on high-definition digital SLR cameras. These capabilities will make room for accurate reproduction of both video and still photographs. In addition, the LT-42WX70 will also come with 52 picture-quality adjustment properties for tweaking both still and video images source-by-source according to the exact colors and tones of your preference. Not only that, JVC’s very own GENESSA Picture Engine is able to churn out video images without blur, color bleed or noise for clear images with smooth movement.

The inclusion of 120HzClear Motion Drive III (100Hz for PAL video signals) in the engine also further reduces the amount of blurring, which is a problem that is normally associated with LCD TVs. Sounds like the perfect thing for sports and action movie enthusiasts since their entertainment of choice tend to have plenty of movement that can be smoothened out. With the 3D real time, motion-estimated Hadamard noise reduction being applied, noise will be further eliminated along with blur suppression. If you’re interested, JVC is offering the JVC LT-42WX70 for $2,399.95.

iPod Nano 3G TV

I’ve never really used my iPod to watch a ton of videos, especially not within my house. However, not everyone spends as much of their time at their computer as I tend to. If you have an area of the house you’d like to more comfortably watch videos on your Nano, this little TV would definitely help you out. It’d be great for hiding out in the garage or a small closet when your in-laws are in town. It looks like the classic TV/VCR combination, but it actually plays videos directly from your Nano.


It does this by magnifying the screen on your Nano by up to 2.8in. Then it plays the sound through the TV speakers. Which also means you could hear your music without having to keep your headphones on the whole time. The TV sadly only works for those with 3rd generation Nanos, so the newer Nanos are out of luck. However, for those with the 3rd gens you can pick this up for pretty cheap. It’s being sold for £14.99 or about $23.

LCD vs Plasma: Confused!!!!

If you’ve been wondering whether to go for an LCD TV or a Plasma TV this festive season, here are a few tips that might help.

Unfortunately, there is no clear-cut answer to this age-old question. Which type of TV you buy really depends on factors like what you’ll be watching, what size you need and what is your budget.

However, apart from all these, there are inherent advantages and disadvantages in both the technologies.

Plasmas have higher viewing angle

Plasma TVs can render blacks far more effectively than LCDs. They have higher viewing angles, which means that if you’re sitting off to one side, the image quality won’t change. They’re also better for fast-moving images (mainly sports and movies). And finally, Plasma TVs are more affordable than LCDs for the same screen size. You can go for LG’s 42” HD ready frame less Plasma (42PG61UR-TA) or Samsung’s 42” Series 4 Plasma (PS42A410C1) at under Rs 65,000. Whereas a 40” HD ready LCD will put you back by another Rs 5,000.

No full HD support

However, Pasmas are showing their age. Many are not full HD (the highest resolution available is 1920x1080 pixels) and not completely future proof. They’re still susceptible to 'burn in; -- the permanent etching of a static image on the inside of the screen when left on for too long. Plus they have glassy, reflective screens and often get washed out in brightly lit rooms.

LCDs boast of longer life
LCDs are the newer technology. You’ll find a lot more full HD LCDs. They have longer lifespans, compared to the average plasma (Plasmas tend to get dimmer over the course of time). LCDs also work better with video games. Plus the new generation LCDs like Samsung Series 6, LG Scarlet and Sony-Bravia X or W series can easily match or beat Pasmas in most departments


Look for sharper quality

Bottom line? First, work out your specific requirements and then do a side-by-side comparison of both technologies to see which one suit you better. The major things that might be deal-breakers for you after a demo will be the unnaturally sharp & bright images of an LCD or the reflectivity and washed out images of Plasma under bright light. Take your call!
Always visit a multi-brand showroom so you can see the same image displayed on different TV sets. Take along your own DVDs or ask for your favourite cable/DTH channels to be played for reference. Don’t assume that a large-format retailer’s prices will naturally be the lowest. At times, manufacturer’s exclusive stores offer big discounts too. Shop around!

Sony unveils world's thinnest TV

Electronic giant Sony has launched the world's thinnest television, which has a screen as slim as a CD case.

The ultra thin TV, called the Sony Bravia ZX1, will hit the market in the coming January. The extraordinary creation was unveiled at the NEC's Grand Designs show.

"It really has a beautiful look to it. It's hard to believe that something so slim can produce such crystal clear picture," The Telegraph quoted Craig Bolton, from West Bromwich, West Midlands, who visited the show, as saying.

"It's amazing and I would love to see it hanging on my bedroom wall," he added.

The exceptional product is priced at a whopping 3,500 pounds. Christian Brown, senior product manager at Bravia LCD, Sony UK, said, "There is nothing else like this. It was conceived as a unique product, a true step forward, something that the most discerning consumer would instantly recognise as exclusive and desirable. Once you have seen it, other televisions no longer look the same."

Gartner: IT spending to fall

Gartner Inc, the world's biggest technology research company, sharply cut its forecast for global technology spending next year, seeing declines in spending in Western Europe and in sales of computer hardware.

The company, whose forecasts are closely watched by investors, said information technology spending could rise only 2.3 per cent in 2009, hitting $3.5 trillion with businesses cutting back budgets as the economic crisis spreads.

"Developed economies, especially the United States and Western Europe, will be the worst affected, but emerging regions will not be immune," said Peter Sondergaard, Gartner's senior vice president and head of research.

Gartner had previously forecast that corporate spending on hardware, software, telecommunications goods and technology services would grow 5.8 per cent next year. Sondergaard described the new forecast as a "worst-case scenario," but said in an interview that the outlook could get even worse if the economy continues to weaken.

That is because corporate technology spending generally closely tracks changes in economic growth, he said.

If the economy goes into a prolonged recession next year with GDP declining, then overall IT spending could fall next year compared to 2008, Sondergaard said.

"We're going to be updating our clients," he said. Gartner expects hardware to be hardest hit, with overall sales declining 4 per cent next year. It forecasts that the information technology services sector will be flat next year, while telecommunications will grow 3.9 per cent.

The firm expects software sector revenue to climb 8.6 per cent, a slowdown from a 13.5 per cent revenue increase in 2008. Investors closely watch Gartner's forecasts, as they do surveys from Wall Street brokerages such as Goldman Sachs, for evidence of changes in corporate spending plans.

GARMIN GADGET AWARDS 2008

The results are in and it's finally time to unveil this year's winners. From May to September you voted in your thousands to crown the winners of the biggest gadget awards of 2008, the Garmin T3 gadget awards!

Gadget of the Year: Apple iPod Touch 32GB
Best Music Gadget: Apple iPod Touch 32GB


Best Imaging Gadget: Nikon D60 unveiled


Drop Dead Gorgeous Award: Audi R8


Best New Media Innovation: BBC iPlayer

Best Gaming Gadget: Wii Fit



Toy of the Year: Guitar Hero 3



Commuter Gadget of the Year: Apple iPhone

The Gadget Candy Award: MacBook Air



Retailer of the Year: Dixons.co.uk

Gadget You Can't Live Without: TomTom GO 930



Innovation of the Year: Sony XEL-1 OLED TV



Green Gadget of the Year: Honda Civic Hybrid



Home Gadget of the Year: Sky HD



The Hi-Def Award: Sony PS3

Sony's Bravia theatre

Sony has announced the launch of new Bravia theater system, DAV-DZ370, in the Indian market that comes with Bravia LCD TVs. Equipped with Sony’s Digital Cinema Auto-Calibration technology, the system offers settings for the room according to the position of the speakers. Also, the Bravia sync feature in the system allows users to integrate the system with their TV systems. Other features include digital media port that lets users to hook up any media device, HDMI capabilities and USB playback/record hosting port for pocket-size gadgets. In addition, the system can also rip music from CD’s to other music devices via its USB port. The DZ370 packs 1000W RMS (143W x 5 + 285W) output and support MP3, WMA and AAC formats. Also, the speakers are S-AIR equipped and can be wirelessly connected with 'WHAT kit' which is optional. The system is available for Rs 17,990.