Deals

UltraViolet: Gone, And Best Forgotten

UltraViolet's shutdown announcement nearly vanished unnoticed into a spam folder - a fitting metaphor for a service most users had already abandoned. The digital content locker promised seamless access to purchased movies across devices, but its clunky registration process drove customers straight to Netflix and Amazon Prime instead. With major studios already gone and 30 million largely inactive accounts, its quiet death reveals how quickly even well-funded digital ecosystems can become irrelevant. The real question is what that means for today's streaming services.

Pete Putman
column

Ultra HDTV, HDMI 2.0, and HDCP 2.2 – Oh, What A Tangled Web We Weave…

Buying a Samsung UHD Blu-ray player to pair with a Samsung Ultra HDTV sounds foolproof - until HDCP 2.2 handshake failures force 1080p downconversion and a $400 upgrade kit enters the picture. Real-world compatibility between HDMI 2.0 devices and copy-protection standards remains a minefield for early adopters. If you're eyeing a 4K setup, the lessons buried in this frustrating saga may save you serious money and headaches.

Pete Putman
Columns

HDTV Expert - Black Friday: Boom, Or Bust?

Black Friday 2013 retail data presents a contradictory picture: while total weekend spending was estimated at $57.4B and online purchases hit a record 40% of all transactions, Black Friday brick-and-mortar sales actually declined 13.2% from 2012, cannibalized by earlier Thanksgiving store openings. Mobile devices accounted for 40% of online traffic and roughly 22-26% of online sales, with smartphones driving 25% of Friday shopping traffic. Electronics and Blu-ray discs ranked among the top four in-store purchases, yet Walmart, Target, and Best Buy all lowered quarterly expectations amid sliding consumer confidence.

Pete Putman
Columns

HDTV and Home Theater Podcast - Podcast #609: Black Friday Preview 2013

This Black Friday 2013 preview catalogs home theater deals across major retailers, with standout pricing including a Denon AVR-E300 875W 5.1 receiver at $274.99, a Vizio 70-inch 1080p Smart LED HDTV at $998, and Blu-ray players starting as low as $38. Compared to 2008 benchmarks when a 50-inch 720p plasma cost $900, 2013 buyers can acquire significantly more capable 1080p displays and audio hardware for the same or lower spend. Shoppers prioritizing value will find the sharpest per-inch pricing at Walmart and Target for mid-size LED HDTVs, while Sears lists early 4K Ultra HDTV options from Seiki starting at $499.99.

The HT Guys
Podcasts

HDTV and Home Theater Podcast - Podcast #557: Black Friday 2012

This Black Friday 2012 shopping guide covers HDTV and home theater deals across major retailers, with televisions ranging from a $78 Orion 24-inch 720p LED at Wal-Mart to a $1,999.99 Sharp 70-inch 1080p 120Hz Aquos Smart TV at Sears. Standout picks include a Toshiba 40-inch 1080p LCD for $179.99 at Best Buy and a Vizio 60-inch 1080p 120Hz LED for $688 at Wal-Mart. Shoppers looking to maximize value will find curated top-deal breakdowns organized by screen size across Best Buy, Target, Wal-Mart, K-Mart, and Sears.

The HT Guys
Podcasts

HDTV and Home Theater Podcast - Podcast #549: Black Friday 2012 Predictions

GottaDeal.com's Black Friday 2012 predictions anticipate 32-inch LCD HDTVs dropping as low as $149 and Blu-ray players hitting $39, with the HT Guys offering their own commentary on each forecast. Inexpensive Android tablets are expected to dominate deals while Apple products remain largely full-price, and the newly released Nintendo Wii U faces likely stock shortages just five days after its launch. Shoppers willing to skip Black Friday hype may find better value on larger name-brand HDTVs in early-to-mid December or during pre-Super Bowl sales.

The HT Guys
Podcasts

HDTV Almanac - Best Buy: $10 per Inch for 50″ LCD

Best Buy is offering a 50-inch Insignia LCD HDTV at $500, a $10-per-diagonal-inch price point more commonly associated with plasma displays. The set is a standard 60Hz panel with three HDMI inputs, lacking advanced features like Internet connectivity or 3D support. Buyers seeking smart TV functionality can supplement it with a Roku or Vizio Google TV network media player for under $100, making this a cost-effective entry into large-screen HDTV ownership.

Alfred Poor
Columns

HDTV and Home Theater Podcast - Podcast #536: Movie and TV Piracy

A home theater podcast episode examines movie and TV piracy, challenging the MPAA-cited figure of $200-$250 billion in annual losses against a GAO study suggesting closer to $60 billion, potentially inflated by double-counting. The hosts argue that simultaneous worldwide digital releases, DRM-free downloads, and micro-priced streaming at roughly 10 cents per view would dramatically reduce piracy by addressing availability and cost rather than adding legislation. Research cited suggests consumers pay more for unrestricted DRM-free content, making pricing and access the practical levers studios should pull.

The HT Guys
Podcasts

HDTV Almanac - Amazon Adds MGM Movies

Amazon Instant Video, bundled with Amazon Prime memberships at $79 per year, has secured a content deal with MGM to add hundreds of classic films and TV episodes, including The Silence of the Lambs, Rain Man, and Stargate. The service offers free streaming of select titles, some in high-definition, but still trails Netflix and Hulu in catalog size. For Prime subscribers, this MGM addition expands the value proposition of a membership that already includes free two-day shipping and Kindle book borrowing.

Alfred Poor
Columns

HDTV Almanac - How Low Can They Go?

The 42-inch Sharp LC42SV49U is currently listed at Best Buy for $329.99, falling well below the $10-per-diagonal-inch benchmark that has long served as a reference point for TV value. Sharp's Gen10 LCD fabrication plant, built for large-panel production, is running at just 50% capacity amid a softening television market, pressuring the company to move inventory at aggressive prices. Buyers willing to shop outside of Black Friday can now access competitive pricing without the overnight wait.

Alfred Poor
Columns

HDTV and Home Theater Podcast - Podcast #505: Black Friday 2011 and Receiver Buying Guide

This podcast episode covers Black Friday 2011 HDTV and home theater deals alongside a receiver buying guide spanning four price tiers. Highlighted deals include a Sharp 42-inch 1080p LCD at $199.99 and a Panasonic 55-inch 600Hz 3D Plasma Smart HDTV at $1,099.99, while receiver picks range from the Denon AVR-1612 with HDMI 1.4a at $349 to the Integra DTR 80.2 9.2-channel network receiver at $2,800 with HQV Reon-VX upscaling. Shoppers gain a practical framework for matching receiver features like THX certification, Audyssey room correction, and AirPlay support to specific budgets.

The HT Guys
Podcasts

HDTV Almanac - Zediva: Rent-a-DVD-Player Service under Fire

Zediva offers a novel DVD rental model where customers rent both a physical disc and a dedicated DVD player housed in a server farm, with streaming delivered over the Internet for $1 to $2 per rental and a 14-day viewing window. The service currently supports standard-definition DVD only, with no Blu-ray option available. The MPAA has filed for a California district court injunction citing unlicensed streaming, making the service's near-term availability uncertain for consumers considering it.

Alfred Poor
Columns

HDTV Almanac - ISPs Ready to Get Tough on Copyrights

The Center for Copyright Information, a joint initiative between major ISPs and the entertainment industry backed by the White House, has launched a six-strike Copyright Alerts program targeting illegal content downloads on broadband accounts. Participating providers including Comcast, Cablevision, Verizon, and Time Warner Cable can enforce escalating penalties ranging from data throughput throttling to full Web access blocking. Consumers do have access to an independent review process if they dispute an alert, making it worth understanding the program before a violation affects your connection.

Alfred Poor
Columns

HDTV Expert - It's Deal Time!

Retailers are clearing 2010 TV inventory to make room for 2011 models, creating significant price drops on name-brand sets. Standout examples include a 50-inch Panasonic 1080p 3D plasma (TCP50GT25) now at $796.84, down from roughly $2,800 at launch, and a Sharp Quattron 40-inch 1080p LED LCD with 120 Hz motion correction at $698.74. Shoppers willing to browse Sunday fliers and major retailer websites can find substantial savings on both displays and Blu-ray players before new model stock arrives.

Pete Putman
Columns

HDTV Almanac - HDTV Bargains Still Out There

Post-Black Friday clearance pricing has pushed 47-inch 120 Hz LCD HDTVs from LG and Vizio into the $599-$699 range, while a 50-inch LG 1080p plasma is available at $699.88 and a 24-inch LED-backlit 1080p LCD dips to $189. HDTV sales underperformed the broader consumer electronics market in 2010, leaving retailers motivated to move inventory before year-end. Shoppers willing to act before the NFL playoffs could find competitive pricing across screen sizes and display technologies.

Alfred Poor
Columns