Coming to Blu-ray: THX Optimizer

(Credit: CNET Asia)

I just spoke with a few of the people from THX involved in the development of the specification for the firm's new Display Certification, featured on the Panasonic TH-PZ800U and LG PG60 series plasma TVs, and when I asked them whether they'd be letting some of their test material and methods trickle down into disc form, they said "yes." According to THX's reps, the Blu-ray disc would be an expanded version of the THX Optimizer found on select DVDs, and would feature test material aimed at a less-technical audience than the only other full-fledged Blu-ray test disc available now, Joe Kane's Digital Video Essentials: HD Basics, which is used extensively in CNET's own HDTV testing. THX didn't say when its disc would be available or for how much.

...Wed, 14 May 2008 22:17:00 GMT

Voom's channels are no longer available on Dish Network.

(Credit: Voom.tv)

Just two days after it launched 22 relatively high-interest HD channels, Dish Network has stopped broadcasting the 15 specialty Voom HD channels. The channels, which Dish has long been interested in dropping to make way for more popular channels, include names like GamePlay HD, Treasure HD, Kung Fu HD, and Monsters HD, and programming most viewers have never heard of.

...Wed, 14 May 2008 15:09:00 GMT

Pioneer's 2007 plasmas have a de-judder mode.

(Credit: CNET)

Hi David,

Based on my price range and the reviews I've read, including yours, I'm very interested in the Samsung PN50A550 and the Panasonic TH-PZ85U series. However, when I went to see them in the shop, I was very impressed with the video quality of the Sony KDL-XBR4 and the Samsung LN-T4671F. The first two are plasmas and the second two are LCDs, but I was most impressed with the smoothness of the latter two. You commented on that smoothness in your reviews and made it seem like it's a feature that can be turned on/off. Anyhow, I was just wondering if that feature is available in the plasmas I was interested in. You seemed to comment how it can be unnerving at times and it seems like a feature than can be adjusted. There isn't much of a mention of it in the Samsung A550 review and I just wanted to know if that smoothness can be turned off/on in the plasmas. Thanks, Jon

Hi Jon,

That smoothness I mentioned in my reviews is the result of a de-judder video processing mode. Pioneer put a similar mode on its 2007 plasmas, including the PDP-5080HD (pictured), but it's not as smoothing and it introduces a lot more artifacts compared with the LCDs I've tested, so we preferred to leave it turned off. More recent reviews of de-judder-equipped LCDs include the Samsung LN52A650 and LG 47LG60. To answer your original question, I don't know of any plasma TVs available now aside from Pioneer's models that have de-judder processing....Tue, 13 May 2008 16:31:00 GMT