HDTV FROM AN ACTOR'S PERSPECTIVE
While HDTV might soup-up the viewing experience, film stars are worried it will be an unforgiving medium that will highlight blemishes and (God forbid) wrinkles. According to a recent survey by Telewest and the National Association of Screen Makeup Artists and Hairdressers (Nasmah), one in three stars lie about their age - and due to HDTV are now in danger of being exposed. Of those petitioned, 75 per cent were most worried about the signs of ageing showing up, including wrinkles, crow's feet and liver spots. The second biggest concern (15 per cent) was skin blemishes such as spots, boils and blotches. Additional HDTV worries were thinning hair (7 per cent) and scars from surgery or accidents (3 per cent).
According to the association, the most likely to suffer would be ageing stars such as Joan Collins and Michael Douglas. But it also named Cameron Diaz, Brad Pitt and rock singer Bryan Adams as having less than perfect complexions, which could well prove a handicap on HDTV.
Keira Knightley is also expected to come off badly owing to her occasional outbreaks of pimples. Those who will come out looking good, however, include Johnny Depp (a veritable Dorian Gray at 42), Orlando Bloom, Kate Winslet and Scarlett Johansson - all of whom have close to immaculate skin complexions.
Sandra Exelby, chair of Nasmah and head of a new make-up school at Elstree Studios in Hertfordshire, which is developing techniques to shield stars from the more merciless effects of the new technology, says: "High-definition TV is so vivid it is like being there in person. Every flaw visible to the eye could be seen on the new [HDTV] services, unless make-up artists retrain in new techniques."
Crystal clear: the best sets
Philips 26" widescreen LCD flat TV, £690
Good budget model. Has a built-in tuner that lets you watch or record digital terrestrial TV (Freeview). Model: 26PF5520D; www.amazon.co.uk
LG 42" plasma TV, £1,350
This set features "image noise" removal that makes standard broadcasts sharper, but no built-in tuner. 42PX5D; www.johnlewis.com
Sony 32" flat-panel TV, £1,250
This compact, black HD-ready television offers vivid colour and sharp detail, and has a built-in digital tuner. KDLV32; http://froogle.google.co.uk
JVC 32" LCD widescreen TV, £919
This HD-ready TV offers sharp picture quality that will enhance standard broadcasts. It also pumps out a deep, 20-watt cinematic sound. LT-32DS6BJ; froogle.google.co.uk
TECHNEWS
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Samsung Slim Fit CRP TV
Mon Mar 27, 2006
This is another one of those huge gadgets that made its way inside the Technews testing lab. And who says big things is out? Not in our lab.
The Samsung Slim Fit TV is no ordinary widescreen TV. It is categorized as a CRP (Cathode Ray Panel) TV. Simply put, it is similar to an LCD TV... only much bigger.
Bigger in the sense that the screen size is 32 inches, with accompanying speakers on each side. It has a sleek design with lots of inputs at the back and left side. The Slim Fit TV has HD Inputs for 1080i and 576p, Analog Tuner with two Tuner PIP (picture-in-picture), DNIe, Virtual Dolby Surroung Sound and Turbo Sound.
When the Slim Fit TV arrived, our cable was down so weren't able to test it with cable. Although, as a television, using it was so interesting. In fact, we got a little lost since there were so many functions to choose from. It is a one TV with loads of features and functions.
Programing the channel is easy, but to have a more clearer reception, an antenna is a must. The channels are scanned thru frequency, unlike regular televisions where you just input the channel number, which gives a wide range of channels. We had fun using the PIP function because it allowed us to see what's showing on other channels.
What's more with the PIP function is that aside from viewing a different, you can view from an external A/V device as well. When you want to play your favorite video game and others want to watch TV, this is now possible with the Slim Fit TV. The only problem is that one side won't be having any audio (of course, it'll be hard to understand two different audio broadcasts at the same time).
And speaking of video games, we were only able to attach a Playstation 2 with the Slim Fit TV since there's no DVD players available and we can't borrow any. But since most of us are gamers, we're still blessed with something.
It's like playing inside a movie house. Graphics are bigger, and we were able to play games with a 16:9 hi-definition aspect ratio. Too bad we weren't able to test Gran Tourismo 4 on 1080i simply because it doesn't work (for reasons we don't understand). But either way, the graphics came out very smooth.
Most of the staff at the lab have one complain though - the remote is kinda hard to understand. But using it after a while, we were able to master the complexities of the remote. With so many features that the Slim Fit TV has you will surely be intimidated, perhaps in the first few weeks. But overall, the Slim Fit TV is the bomb. pair it with a home theater system and you ready to explore new worlds.
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Consumer Reports
How about a new HDTV for next season's shows?
By the Editors of Consumer Reports
Have you been wanting to buy an HDTV but are waiting for prices to settle before you move? That's understandable. Price erosion has defined the high-definition TV market for some time now and is projected to continue, especially for the biggest, costliest sets.
By the summer, prices of plasma TVs with 50-inch screens and LCD flat panels larger than 40 inches could fall by $500, according to estimates. (Sets of that size that Consumer Reports has tested were recently priced at $3,000 to $6,500.)
Similar cuts are expected for rear-projection microdisplays using LCD and DLP technology.
Prices for LCoSTV microdisplays could fall by as much as $1,000 as manufacturing ramps up.
Meanwhile, little change is likely for picture-tube TVs and CRT-based rear-projection sets.
CR's advice: Although you could save money on the largest-screen TVs by waiting a few months, there's little reason not to buy a smaller LCD or plasma set, or a tube-based TV, now.
Here are some things to consider as you shop — or wait.
• Decide where to shop. In a 2005 survey of Consumer Reports subscribers who purchased electronics, local independent stores and the nationwide Tweeter chain won top scores from high-end TV buyers for overall satisfaction.
Sears, Circuit City and Best Buy rated highly for overall satisfaction and product quality, but only average for service, price and selection.
Costco rated highly for overall satisfaction and product quality, and was best for low TV prices, yet the warehouse club has limited selection and service.
• Consider buying online. Merchants such as Crutchfield.com, Amazon.com, Costco.com and JR.com all scored highly with electronics buyers.
But unless you get a free-shipping deal, the charges can wipe out any savings. Also, some sites, including Amazon.com, don't accept big-TV returns.
• Weigh delivery and setup options. With big-screen TVs bought from a brick-and-mortar retailer, delivery is worth the cost. For a few hundred dollars more, you can have a pro hook up multiple video devices and a sound system.
Wall-mounting an LCD or plasma set and hiding wires takes skill and costs even bigger bucks. At Best Buy, it runs $400 to $900, plus the cost of mounting hardware, which starts at $50.
• Hold off on a sound system. Stores may say a new audio system is a must for your HDTV, but it's not. Many TV sets have decent speakers that are fine for TV programming. You'll get the most improvement by connecting a receiver and two front speakers to your TV.
Before you start shopping, see whether your credit cards offer free warranty extensions. American Express adds up to a year of protection to standard warranties. MasterCard and Visa may also, depending on the issuing bank and type of card. However, you might want to consider buying an extended warranty for LCD and plasma TVs, especially for off-brand and expensive models. (Pay no more than 15 percent to 20 percent of the TV's cost.) Picture-tube TVs and CRT-based rear-projection sets are another matter: Extended protection for these two types of HDTV is probably unnecessary.
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Posted on Tue, Mar. 28, 2006
HDTV puts flaws in focusClarity of high-definition picture presents challenges for TV celebrities, and producersSTEVEN LEVINGSTONWashington PostAs high-definition television programming expands to meet demand, networks, stars and production companies are encountering an array of challenges from the new technology. The transition to the disarmingly clear picture of HDTV -- considered by some as momentous as the move from black and white to color -- is requiring new attention to sets, lighting, makeup, camera angles and the syncing of sound and pictures.
Broadcasters have worried that the sharpness of the picture would magnify acne, wrinkles and subtle production defects. Sets could no longer be made of cheap materials slathered with paint. Celebrities would have to take extra care over their appearance.
Phillip Swann, an expert in HDTV, was watching this year's Academy Awards in high definition when nominee Keira Knightley, 20, the star of "Pride & Prejudice," appeared and the camera moved in tight. Swann could see her exposed shoulder in a Vera Wang gown and her Bulgari necklace. He could see something else, too.
"She was covered in pimples on her forehead," said Swann, president and publisher of TVPredictions.com, which tracks TV technology.
When he studied the scene on a standard-definition television, Knightley's pimples were gone. "Only in high definition can you see it," Swann said. "HDTV is the ultimate reality television."
The menu of HD programming now includes sports events such as the Super Bowl, prime-time shows including ABC's "Desperate Housewives," soap operas and late-night shows where viewers can catch glimpses of the freckles on the back of Conan O'Brien's hands.
Though the audience for HD is still small, it's growing rapidly. Last year, 30 percent of all TVs sold in United States were high definition, up from 8 percent in 2002, according to Jupiter Research. In 2002, just 4 percent of U.S. households with a TV had a high-definition model. By last year, that figure had climbed to 20 percent, and Jupiter Research predicts it will grow to 48 percent by 2008.
"I would definitely say 2005 was a turning point," said Joni Blecher, home theater analyst at Jupiter Research.
At WRAL-TV in Raleigh, the first (in 2001) to broadcast local news in HD, the new technology sometimes left viewers a little confused. Since high-definition video must be hugely compressed, it takes longer to transmit than audio, so the pictures would lag behind the sound.
"We had what we call `lip flap' like in the old kung fu movies -- the anchor would be talking to a reporter in field, and the audio didn't match their mouths moving," said John Harris, WRAL's director of programming.
When "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno" went to high definition in 1999, becoming the first network series in HD, producers agonized over how guests -- particularly women -- would look on a screen significantly sharper than standard television. NBC redid the control room, refurbished the studio and adjusted the lights, ensuring that guests would be happy in the chair next to Leno.
Some stars have gravitated toward a lighter layer of makeup applied by airbrush, worrying that the heavier cosmetic used on traditional broadcasts would look cakey in high definition.
An airbrush delivers a thin, skin-like covering that minimizes blemishes and looks invisible in high definition, according to Doug McAward, president of Kett Cosmetics, a company that sells an airbrush makeup system for high-definition production.
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04/02/2006
WASHINGTON -- Meteorologist Howard Bernstein was pointing out the range in temperatures around D.C. recently during the midday weather report on WUSA, the only area station that broadcasts local news in high definition.
"Look at these readings," he said, standing in front of a map during a recent show. "It's 43 in town, 54 in Fredericksburg, and over toward the Shenandoah area 73 degrees right now."
High-definition viewers watching on their wide-screen TVs had no trouble seeing Shenandoah off to the west. But those watching on an old-format television, still the majority, saw only part of the locale on the map. For them, the temperature was 73 degrees in "doah."
Since making the HD switch last year, the WUSA news team has mostly worked out the kinks. The broadcast is shot for the rectangular screen, but producers take care to frame the picture for the narrower dimensions of the standard television. Still, surprises sometimes creep in.
"We're living in both worlds right now," said Randal Stanley, news director of WUSA 9 News.
With its disarmingly clear picture, high-definition television increasingly is showing up in U.S. homes. Falling prices and wider consumer awareness made 2005 a banner year for HDTV sales. Now, as programming expands to meet demand, networks, stars and production companies are encountering an array of challenges from the new technology. The transition to HDTV -- considered by some as momentous as the move from black and white to color -- is requiring new attention to sets, lighting, makeup, camera angles and the syncing of sound and pictures.
Broadcasters have worried that the sharpness of the picture would magnify acne, wrinkles and subtle production defects. Sets could no longer be made of cheap materials slathered with paint. Celebrities would have to take extra care over their appearance.
Phillip Swann, an expert in HDTV, was watching this year's Academy Awards in high definition when nominee Keira Knightley, 20, the star of "Pride & Prejudice," appeared and the camera moved in tight. Swann could see her exposed shoulder in a Vera Wang gown and her Bulgari necklace. He could see something else, too.
"She was covered in pimples on her forehead," said Swann, president and publisher of TVPredictions.com, which tracks TV technology.
When he studied the scene on a standard-definition television, Knightley's pimples were gone. "Only in high definition can you see it," Swann said. "HDTV is the ultimate reality television."
High definition has lifted the veil on the glamour industry, he said, noting that Brad Pitt is among handsome leading men who suffer in HD.
"He's a really good example of somebody the Hollywood glamour machine decided would be a sex symbol," Swann said. "But when you see him in high definition, you see all these pockmarks in his cheeks and he looks like an entirely different person -- and you go, 'Wow, is that Brad Pitt?' "
Though the audience for HD is still small, it's growing rapidly. Last year, 30 percent of all TVs sold in United States were high definition, up from 8 percent in 2002, according to Jupiter Research. In 2002, just 4 percent of U.S. households with a TV had a high-definition model. By last year, that figure had climbed to 20 percent, and Jupiter Research predicts it will grow to 48 percent by 2008.
"I would definitely say 2005 was a turning point," said Joni Blecher, home theater analyst at Jupiter Research.
When "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno" went to high definition in 1999, becoming the first network series in HD, producers agonized over how guests -- particularly women -- would look on a screen significantly sharper than standard television. NBC redid the control room, refurbished the studio and adjusted the lights, ensuring that guests would be happy in the chair next to Leno.
"It was a critical thing -- and we probably spent too much time on it -- but we wanted to make sure women would be comfortable being on the show," said Rick Ludwin, NBC executive vice president of late-night and prime-time series.
Key to that comfort was getting the makeup right. Some stars have gravitated toward a lighter layer applied by airbrush, worrying that the heavier cosmetic used on traditional broadcasts would look cakey in high definition. WRAL's Harris rejects those concerns. "I disagree that you have to have special makeup up for anchors -- that's absolute malarkey," he said. "It's consultants trying to drive the business."
Nonetheless, airbrushing is gaining in popularity. An airbrush delivers a thin, skinlike covering that minimizes blemishes and looks invisible in high definition, according to Doug McAward, president of Kett Cosmetics, a company that sells an airbrush makeup system for high-definition production.
"The HD camera sees more than the naked eye," McAward said. "If you can pass an HD lens, you can pass any test.
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