Refurbished Digital Converter Box at Amazon
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This year has seen the introduction of new terminology from the four major suppliers describing features on their digital TVs. Labels stating such features as Motionflow XR800, Clear Motion Rate and Moving Picture Resolution have substituted the conventional 50Hz, 100Hz and 200Hz refresh labelling – much the same as when the industry did away with the millisecond response time labelling a few years back. The introduction of Smart TV has seen an array of feature descriptions stickered on the screens displayed on the show room floor – from Built in Wi-Fi, Skype, Video on Demand, Viera Connect, Bigpond TV to Your Video and Search All. Other mutual features include Passive 3D, Active 3D, Opti-Contrast Panel, USB Recording, Time Machine Ready and cornering glass, to name a few. Features relating to Motion Samsung – Clear Motion Rate Samsung have abandoned the traditionalisti Refresh Rate measurement, and opted rather for a “Clear Motion Rate” label for each of their Series LEDs. Normally, we are used to being given a Refresh Rate, such as 100Hz, which only refers to the Refresh Rate of the screen. Samsung state that the Refresh Rate only forms part of the Picture quality for the duration of fast scenes, where as Clear Motion Rate determines the motion of an effigy by using three factors: chipset, TV Panel and Backlight. Refresh rates only determine the number or frames drawn on the screen per second, while the clear motion rate refers to the TV’s capacity to draw those frames correctly. Example – Samsung Series 8 LED has a Clear Motion 800 Rating, while the Series 7 LED has a Clear Motion 600 Rating. While the Refresh Rate is 200Hz on both models – the Series 8 has a superior chipset and backlight engineering which results in fast motion scenes being clearer. Sony – Motionflow XR Similar to Samsung, Sony has this year provided a motion quality measurement as opposed to just the Refresh Rate. Sony State that their Motionflow technology brings about smooth, elaborated moving images for sports or action. Motionflow combines Image Blur Reduction, Frame Creation and backlight blinking technologies together. These three technologies combined are how Sony guages Motion performance from model to model. Example – Sony’s HX820 range of LED have a Motionflow XR400 rating, while the HX925 LEDs have a Motionflow XR800 Rating. While the Refresh Rate is 200Hz on both models – the HX925 combines this with backlight blinking of up to 600 times per second, as opposed to 200 times per second in the HX820, which results in the motion appearing clearer. Basically the Higher the motionflow number, the better the motion enhancement. Panasonic – Moving Picture Resolution Panasonic have displayed both the Refresh Rate, and what they class as the Moving Picture Resolution. Just like Sony and Samsung, the Moving Picture Resolution is a metric which basically puts a value on how well a TV Panel deals with motion. The higher the number, the less blur that is added to the signal on the display. Example – Panasonics ST30 range of Plasma have a Moving Picture Resolution of 1080 lines, and the Panel Speed is 600Hz Subfield Drive. In comparison, the U30 Range of Plasma screens, which likewise have a 600Hz Subfield Drive, have a lower Moving Picture Resolution of 900 lines, meaning the motion on the U30 won’t be as clear as the ST30. Panasonic, Samsung and LG – 600Hz Subfield Motion What 600Hz Sub-Field Driving does, with a 50Hz source like how our Australian TV is broadcast, is split each frame into 12 discerned frames or “sub-fields”, and then show them on an individual basis on the screen. That means 12 sub-fields per frame in 50Hz (frames per second) gives rise to 600 frames per second (50×12=600). The more sub-fields you have per frame, the more exact the colour reproduction and less picture noise. Features relating to Smart TV Samsung – Social TV Samsung models labelled with Social TV have the capacity to connect to Social Network services Facebook, Twitter and Google Talk. Twitter users may keep looking at TV while their Tweets display on a discerned share of the screen. Facebook users may also keep looking at TV while accessing their Facebook page. Samsung – Your Video Your Video is a TV program and movie recommendation service – based on movies that you’ve chosen in the past. You are served up with a selection of movies or TV shows which you are competent to preview clips, synopsis, user ratings and even portion your likes and disapprovals thru Facebook and Twitter. Samsung – Search All The Search all feature is an application which allows you to search for content or data throughout each aspect your TV has to offer. Enter a search query into the search all text box, and you are given matches from Your Video, recent Web searches, Tweets, Facebook postings and more. It is a commodious way to find data you are looking for. Samsung – Smart Hub Pressing the Smart button on your remote displays the Smart Hub, and it is from here that you are capable to access all the TV has to offer in terms of connectivity such as the Web Browser, Your Video, Search All, Bigpond Movies and numerous more. The Smart Hub is the page you go to access closely each feature that Samsung has to offer. Samsung – Your Video Your Video is a TV program and movie recommendation service – based on movies that you’ve chosen in the past. You are served up with a selection of movies or TV shows which you are competent to preview clips, synopsis, user ratings and even percentage your likes and disapprovals thru Facebook and Twitter. Samsung – Search All The Search all feature is an application which allows you to search for content or info all over each aspect your TV has to offer. Enter a search query into the search all text box, and you are given matches from Your Video, recent Web searches, Tweets, Facebook postings and more. It is a commodious way to find data you are looking for. Samsung – Smart Hub Pressing the Smart button on your remote displays the Smart Hub, and it is from here that you are capable to access all the TV has to offer in terms of connectivity such as the Web Browser, Your Video, Search All, Bigpond Movies and a lot of more. The Smart Hub is the page you go to access almost each feature that Samsung has to offer. Samsung – Samsung Apps Just like today’s smartphones, Samsung have integrated apps (applications) downloadable thru the Samsung App Store. If you have owned an I-Phone you will already be intimate with the endless array of programs you may download and the Samsung App store works in the same manner, even though on a much littler scale. There are Video, Game, Sports, Lifestyle, Information and Education apps available. Samsung – Allshare Allshare is Samsungs brand name for DLNA (Digital Living Network Alliance) which is a platform for sharing media among compatible devices. Digital Cameras, Camcorders, Smartphones, Tablets, laptops and home theatre schemes which are DLNA certified, are all capable to be connected through your Home Network and through to your TV, enabling the sharing of Photos, Movies and music without wires. Sony – Bravia Internet Video Bravia Internet Video streams a selection of Internet TV channels, thru your Home Network, through to your TV. There are channels such as The Wiggles, ABC I-View, You-Tube, Yahoo Plus 7, SBS and a heap of more. Sony – Video on Demand Video on Demand is a portal to New Release and back catalogue Movies available for streaming, thru your Home Network, through to your TV. You may “hire” movies without having to leave your lounge, and not having to worry regarding late fees or subscriptions. Sony – Music Unlimited Music unlimited is a Music store through your TV – you may search and listen to millions of artists, fabricate playlists by way of a subscription service from Qriocity.com. Depending on which subscription you choose, you may be capable to access features such as Global Top 100 tracks, Music channels compiled from millions of tracks around the world and the capacity to fabricate your own playlists and channels. For Subscription prices and further information, visit Qriocity.com. Panasonic – Easy IPTV Easy IPTV is Panasonics label for models which provide you with access to Social Networking sites, and have DLNA functionality. Models which have Easy IPTV give you access to You Tube, Twitter, Facebook, Picassa and more, as well as the capacity to part Photos, Movies and music with DLNA certified Camcorders, Smartphones, Tablets, laptops and more. Panasonic – Viera Connect Viera Connect is an extension of Easy IPTV – besides the social network and DLNA connectivity, Viera Connect also offers Internet TV channels from You Tube, Yahoo 7, ABC I-View and Shoutcast Internet Radio. There is likewise a catalogue of apps from third-party application developers. LG – Home Dashboard Pressing the Home button on your remote displays the LGs Home Dashboard, and it is from here that you are competent to access all of the TV’s connectivity functions such as the Web Browser, LG Apps, Media Link, Bigpond Movies and galore more. The Home Dashboard is the page you go to access almost each feature that LG has to offer. LG – Smart Share Smart Share is LGs brand name for DLNA (Digital Living Network Alliance) which is a platform for sharing media among compatible devices. Digital Cameras, Camcorders, Smartphones, Tablets, laptops and home theatre systems which are DLNA certified, are all competent to be connected through your Home Network and through to your TV, enabling the sharing of Photos, Movies and music without wires. LG – Media Link LGs Media Link application matches data to video files by way of an broad database called PLEX. This feature may provide you with movie info such as synopsis, casts, director, viewer ratings for the media content you are viewing, on a nicely laid out full page display. LG – Apps LG have Video, Game, Sports, Lifestyle, Information and Education apps available for use and download by way of the Home Dashboard. LG have a web site – LG Apps TV – where you may download hundreds of apps. Visit LG Apps TV HERE. Features relating to Panel and Contrast Technology Sony – OptiContrast Panel with Gorilla Glass Sony’s panels which use Gorilla Glass and Opticontrast have a frameless design with glass that reaches right to the corners of the TV. These sets deliver bettered clarity by boosting contrast, and increasing luminance and minimizing undesirable light reflections. Example – Sony’s HX820 range of LED have OptiContrast Panels with Gorilla Glass, while the EX720 LEDs have the general panels. If you watch a movie like Batman, which has a heap of dark scenes, you will find there is more detail in the HX820 than on the EX720 – exceptionally in a more glorious observing environment. Sony – Sony – Dynamic Edge LED With Sony’s Dynamic Edge LED models, the LEDs behind the panel may have their luminance adjusted to deliver optimal contrast. This means that, depending on the picture you are watching, the Dynamic Edge LED scheme controls person parts of the screen independently for a wider contrast within each scene – resulting in a more inviolable colour replica as well as more glorious whites and mainly bettered blacks. Sony – X-Reality, and X-Reality PRO X-Reality is Sony’s brand name for their Picture processing engine. Every TV has a chipset inside which is responsible for how the effigy at last looks on the screen. It is like the puppet master, with the puppets being all of the other distinct features of the TV like the Panel, Tuner, Refresh Speed and Contrast to name a few. These all rely on the Picture Processing Engine to combine them and deliver a result as high as possible. The X-Reality engine is the usual in five levels of Bravia TVs, with the HX Models both having X-reality PRO Picture Engines. Along with the gains of their frequent processor, X-Reality PRO combines a consecrated 2nd effigy processor which tweaks hue, saturation, brightness, and in addition, Super Bit Mapping and face detection technology. In simple terms, more processing power delivers clearer images, and better colour reproduction. Samsung – HyperReal Engine HyperReal Engine is Samsungs brand name for their Picture Processing Engine. It is the chipset responsible for Contrast, Motion and Colour, and optimizes performance and effigy enhancement. Samsung – Micro Dimming With Samsung’s Micro Dimming LED models, the LEDs behind the panel may have their luminance adjusted to deliver optimal contrast. The Micro Dimming LED system controls person elements of the screen independently for a wider contrast within each scene -resulting in less judder and artefacts as well as more splendid whites and principally bettered blacks. Samsung – Clear Image Panel The new Samsung Plasma range uses a new filter and panel structure to manufacture clear images from wider angles. Compared to the established glass filters applied in the past, Samsungs Clear Image Panels eliminate the layered images you may see on galore sets using traditionalisti glass filters. Samsung – Ultra Clear Panel Similar to Clear Image Panels in the plasma range, Ultra Clear Panel is the terminology Samsung are using to describe the panels in their LED range. Ultra Clear Panel does away with diffusion and absorbs much of the external light which provides a comfortable watching experience with minimal detail loss. Samsung – Wide colour Enhancer, and Wide colour Enhancer Plus The wide colour enhancer is a new chipset in Samsungs 2011 range which plainly improves the colour quality in elaborated scenes. The wide colour Enhancer Plus is described as a superior enhancer which drasti increments the colour spectrum and improves upon the colours developed with the general Wide Colour Enhancer chipset in elaborate scenes. Samsung – Cinema Black Cinema Black is a very clever feature designed to improve your watching experience of movies watched in letterbox format. You will come throughout some movies in 2.35:1 format, which give you a black band top and bottom of the picture. Cinema black switches off the LEDs at the top and bottom to provide a deep pitch black which highlights the effigy and provides a more immersive looking at experience. Panasonic – Neo Plasma The higher models in Panasonics Plasma range, the ST, GT and VT models, are gifted with Panasonics Neo-Plasma panels. Neo-Plasma is the name given to Panasonics high performance screens, which develop smoother Motion, higher Contrast and better efficiency. The Neo-Plasma is competent of a 5,000,000:1 Dynamic Contrast Ratio, which gives rise to industry leading black levels. Panasonic, and LG – THX Display THX Certified Plasmas and LEDs, featuring THX Movie Mode, let you recreate shadow, colour and detail as it was intended to look like when produced in the studio. Each TV and has gone through a stringent design and laboratory testing process, which includes more than 400 data points to see to it particular effigy quality and signal processing performance from your set. Read more regarding THX certified panels HERE Panasonic, Sony and LG – 24p Cinematic Playback, 24P True Cinema and Real Cinema 24P If your Blu-Ray player is set to output 1080p/24 directly, which most Blu-Ray Players may do, then with a 24p processor you’re seeing the effigy as close as possible to how the conductor intended – how it looks when displayed on a cinema screen from a film projector at your local movie theater and with the reduction of a lot of the artefacts. LG – LED Plus LG’s LED Plus technology is the name given to LGs panel lighting system. LED Plus provides even more outstanding control of luminance through local dimming engineering to deliver better contrast, astounding clarity and colour detail. LG – XD Engine XD Engine is LGs brand name for their Picture Processing Engine. It is the chipset responsible for Contrast, Noise Reduction, Motion and Colour, and optimizes performance and effigy enhancement. Features relating to 3D Technology LG – Passive 3D Technology, or Cinema 3D Passive 3D means the capacity to watch 3D without having to use powered (or as they are known – active shutter) glasses. The big gains of passive are lightweight, comfortable and cheap eyewear, without the flickering you may get from active shutter glasses. Another gain to passive 3D glasses is that because we are shown both images at once it doesn’t halve the frame rate of the content like active glasses do. Passive glasses cost a fraction of the Active Shutter Glasses from Sony, Samsung and Panasonic. Samsung – 3D Sound Samsung’s 3D Sound Technology delivers a dandier depth of sound than established stereo speakers, creating a more immersive experience through what is described as “Depth Rendering Technology”. Simply put, a series of speakers in the set may switch on and off, and volume to each is adjusted according to the effigy on the screen, providing a wider range of sound. Samsung, Panasonic, LG and Sony – 2D – 3D Conversion Some models from each of the suppliers enable you to convert regular 2D Images into 3D images, enabling the looking at of content not in the first place recorded in 3D to be viewed as such. The resulting effigy will not give you as much of an affect and depth as decently recorded 3D content will, as such content is shot using specific dual lens 3D Cameras. It will notwithstanding fabricate a little depth on your favourite non-3D content. Design, Connectivity and other Various Features Samsung – Plasma +1 With Samsungs 2011 range of Plasmas marked with Plasma+1, the screen size has been increased by 1 inch diagonally, due to cosmetic improvements from the thinner bezel. Samsung provides 43″ and 51″ sizes equated to 42″ and 50″ size offerings from LG and Panasonic. Samsung – Eco Sensor The eco Sensor is a chipset inside the TV set which senses the room brightness, and adjusts the TVs luminance and backlight settings accordingly. This results in a controlled amount of light being emitted from the screen, which in turn reduces or levels out the energy usage. LG – Smart Energy Saving The Smart Energy Saving Sensor is a chipset inside the TV set which senses the room brightness, and adjusts the TVs luminance and backlight settings accordingly. This results in a controlled amount of light being emitted from the screen, which in turn reduces or levels out the energy usage. Panasonic – Eco Mode Eco Mode is a chipset inside the TV set which senses the room brightness, and adjusts luminance and backlight settings accordingly. This results in a controlled amount of light being emitted from the screen, which in turn reduces or levels out the energy usage. Sony -Sony – Intelligent Presence Sensor, Face Detection Bravia TVs with Face Detection and Presence Sensor engineering science will dim or turn off the screen if you look away or leave the room, and is designed for those humans who like to have the TV on just for a bit of background noise, or while surfing the web or reading a book. The settings may be varied to suit the circumstance – from the picture turning off when you look away, to the picture remaining on for a specified length of time after the last detected movement. Samsung – Anynet+ Samsungs Anynet Technology allows you to control any connected HDMI-CEC device with a single remote control. Features and gains include switching to the rectify AV input when you turn on the connected device, and the capacity to control both the TV and connected device with the one remote. Sony – Bravia Sync Sony’s Bravia Link Technology allows you to control any connected HDMI-CEC device with a single remote control. Features and gains include switching to the rectify AV input when you turn on the connected device, and the capacity to control both the TV and connected device with the one remote. LG – Simplink Lg’s Simplink Technology allows you to control any connected HDMI-CEC device with a single remote control. Features and gains include switching to the rectify AV input when you turn on the connected device, and the capacity to control both the TV and connected device with the one remote. Panasonic – Vieralink Panasonics Viera Link Technology allows you to control any connected HDMI-CEC device with a single remote control. Features and gains include switching to the rectify AV input when you turn on the connected device, and the capacity to control both the TV and connected device with the one remote. Panasonic, Sony, Samsung and LG – Wireless LAN Ready, Wireless LAN Built In Wireless LAN is the protocol required to connect your TV with your Home Network and devices. With Televisions which are labelled WLAN Ready, or WI-FI Ready, these are capable to connect to your network with the buy of a (usually) discerned WI-FI Dongle from the manufacturer of that TV. Wireless LAN Built in does not require the buy of a distinguished Wi-Fi Dongle to connect to your Home Network. Panasonic and Samsung – USB Recording USB recording is the ability, by way of a connected external USB stick or hard drive; to record the TV you are observing on the screen. LG – Time Machine Ready Time Machine functionality allows the unit to mechanically record live TV and make it available for looking at at any time. You may pause and rewind normal TV, after initializating USB Device. To use the feature, you ought to have a USB device over 40 GB. LG – Magic Motion Remote LG’s Magic Motion Remote is a “Magic Wand” type of remote similar to Nintendo Wii controllers, and allows easy motion of the cursor on the screen without having to press up, down and sideways arrows on your traditionalisti remote. Samsung – QWERTY Remote Samsung’s QWERTY Remote is an progressed remote control which has the normal television buttons on one side, and a Full QWERTY Keypad on the other side. This allows you type as you would on a normal Keyboard, without the hassle and time lag of pressing some buttons to input a single reputation as in your traditionalisti remote controls when surfing the web or entering data on the screen.
100 of 103 people found the following review helpful. Two things I don’t like about this box are: 2) The remote is smaller and this gets a little annoying. I tried to get her RCA universal remote to work with it using multiple methods, codes, and an online search, with no luck. Other than those hang ups it works great and gets the job done. 52 of 54 people found the following review helpful. 23 of 24 people found the following review helpful. Don’t get me wrong, this box works, and if you’re not paying a whole lot it’s worth it. But if you want the best, look elsewhere. |
Decent Converter Box
Decent converter box, just don’t pay a lot for it
Works well but don’t pay more than $20 for it..