FutureSource Consulting has produced an interesting chart that highlights the gulf between HDTV ownership and the penetration of Blu-ray disc players in Europe.
It shows that there are 69 million HD-ready TV sets but just 8 million Blu-ray players,including PS3 consoles - prompting the title: "61 million TVs starved of HD content".

Filed under: Displays, Toshiba, LCD

Toshiba's SV series, which was introduced alongside a smattering of other new HDTVs at CES this year, is headed to the UK. Arriving in both 46- and 55-inch sizes, the sets utilize Tosh's Deep Lagoon design, a LED-backlit panel, 10-bit video processing, Resolution+ upscaling technology, DLNA support, four HDMI sockets and PC / USB connectors for good measure. As of now, no price tags have been handed down, but Britons can start saving for an August 2009 release.

[Via Pocket-lint]

Toshiba's REGZA SV LCD HDTVs float to UK originally appeared on Engadget HD on Mon, 16 Mar 2009 10:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

The number of HDTVs in European households is set to rise from 59 million now to 170 million by 2013.
What's more encouraging is the number of HD channels distributed in Europe should go from the current 130 to more than 600 in the same period, according to a study by NPA Conseil and Euroconsult.

Filed under: Misc

For the first time in history, a US presidential inauguration will be broadcast in Europe in high-definition. Thanks to Eurovision, European broadcasters will have access to "full HDTV coverage of the ceremony, Obama's speech and motorcade produced from a battery of cameras on location in Washington." According to Eurovision Americas president Bill Dunlop: "All over Europe, networks are planning special programming to bring this historic day to their viewers live." Now, about keeping the snow at bay...

Europe to see HD broadcast of Obama's inauguration originally appeared on Engadget HD on Tue, 13 Jan 2009 01:19:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Filed under: Displays, Panasonic, Projector

Panny's delightful PT-AE3000 has been trotting around on US soil for a small while, but it's just now making its official debut on the international level. The 1080p PT-AE3000E, which features a 60,000:1 contrast ratio and 1,600 lumens, has been loosed for consumers in Europe and Asia to snag, but it'll run you around $4,568 in greenbacks. A new used beater car, or a new projector? Oh, the decisions life forces upon us.

[Via AboutProjectors]

Panasonic brings PT-AE3000E 1080p projector to rest of the world originally appeared on Engadget HD on Fri, 19 Dec 2008 03:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Filed under: Displays, Other hardware, Philips, LCD

Look out, tweens -- Philips has a new line of LCD TVs aimed squarely at your wall / bedroom pedestal. Introduced over in Italy, the Flavors family will initially consist of a 22-, 32- and 42-inch set, the latter of which packs a 1080p panel, 30,000:1 contrast ratio, 5-millisecond response time, 500 cd/m2 brightness and a pair of HDMI ports. The concept here is pretty easy to grasp -- each set comes bundled with two interchangeable frames which are reportedly held up by good ole magnetism, and if two just aren't enough, more can certainly be ordered. Currently, Philips simply has a placeholder page up for the new crew, so we'll just let you simmer on the prices for now: they'll be €549 ($803), €799 ($1,168) and €1,199 ($1,754) in order of mention.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Filed under: Displays, Sony, OLED

Just as expected, Sony will be bringing its XEL-1 OLED TV to UK shores before 2008 expires (sans battery or viewing area), paving the way for the 11-inch wonder's European tour; at least that's the word from T3. Of course, if it shows up next month wearing a price tag near the estimated £1,500 mark, this bit of kit will retain its status as something for well-heeled blokes obsessed with riding the bleeding edge of tech trends. Frankly we're surprised by the whole "estimated pricing" verbiage -- the XEL-1 has been on sale for almost a year, so we'd assume Sony would have a better feel for pricing. And really, are any customers for this going to be put off by a few pounds on the high side?

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Filed under: MHD, New content

Europeans eagerly awaiting more high definition concerts (updated weekly, still) rejoice, as MTV is launching a European HD channel next month. Although it goes unnamed, based on the content mentioned (concerts, special music events and festivals) and the relaunch of Palladia (the station formerly known as MHD) happening at the same time we've been able to reach the surprising and stunning realization that they are pretty much one and the same. In addition to being underwhelmed by an incredibly limited amount of HD content in rotation at any given time, our HDTV-equipped friends in German speaking markets can look forward to Nick programs on the weekend. D-d-d-dora, Dora.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Filed under: Displays, Sony, OLED

Japan's Nihon Keizai Shimbun reports this morning that Sony plans to sell its 11-inch XEL-1 OLED TV in Europe in 2009. That dovetails nicely with a two-week old statement by a Sony representative who said, "I'd be very surprised if this hasn't arrived in the UK by 2009." Us too, after all, it's been on sale in Japan since December of 2007 and was recently caught slumming the big box outlets in the US. It only seems natural then, that Sony would ramp production to the point that by 2009 they could meet the minimal, European demand for a $2,500-ish TV measuring just 11-inches -- million:1 contrast or not. Still, it's all a bit late if you ask us (you did right?) seeing as how Sony plans to be producing medium to large OLED panels as early as April 2009.

[Via AVING]

Read -- Europe 2009
Read -- UK 2009

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Filed under: Displays, Pioneer, Plasma

Just in case you didn't get a close enough look at Pioneer's next-gen KUROs earlier this year, the folks over at CNET UK managed to bring home a 60-inch PDP-LX6090 and snap a few pics. As expected, onlookers were thoroughly wowed after ripping it from the box and firing it up, with a tag line dubbing it "big, black and beautiful." See what they mean in the read link below.

[Thanks, John]

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Filed under: Industry, Displays, Pioneer, LCD

By the press release, it's officially official -- Pioneer has made good on its promise to get serious about LCDs, even though its intentions to bring out a 46-inch class display this year remain murky. Europe will see three new Kuro-branded LCDs: the KRL-32V and KRL-37V models (32-, 37-inch sizes, respectively) in August, and a 46-inch KRL-46V which still has a nebulous "later in the year" date. All models include a high-contrast filter up front, three HDMI ports and 100Hz processing (count on 120Hz if when released in the USA). No pricing has been announced, so we'll be curious to see what sort of markup is slapped on the Sharp-sourced panel. More interesting, of course, will be the picture quality -- have Pioneer elves worked any magic into the electronics, and will the LCD's black levels measure up to the Kuro name?

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Filed under: Sports, New content

Right on cue, Eurosport HD has went live. The high-definition sports network is currently airing in Poland on Cyfra+, Cyfrowy Polsat and N, Sweden on Com Hem and Denmark on YouSee. It's also slated to show up soon on a smattering of other European cable / satellite providers, though no specifics have been detailed just yet. Hit up the gallery to see a couple of comparison shots between the SD and HD variants -- looks good from here!

[Thanks, Arsenal and AreKK]

Permalink | Email this | Comments