Panasonic's TC-PVT25 series snagged the award as the best product of CES 2010.

(Credit: Panasonic)

If you had to pick a theme at 2010 International CES in Las Vegas, it would have to be 3D. The dimension of depth was ubiquitous in the product announcements of CE makers, from HDTVs to Blu-ray to gaming to PCs to camcorders...well you get the idea. But to view all that spiffy 3D content you'll need a new 3D-compatible HDTV, which helps explain why we awarded the 2010 Best of CES award to the Panasonic TC-PVT25 series.

Among the numerous 3D-compatible HDTVs announced at the show, the Panasonic will likely be the first to market, at least judging from the press release, which clams a "spring" release date. It also includes a pair of the necessary 3D glasses, something no other 3D maker (aside from Sony) was willing to commit to in writing. And although pricing was not announced, we don't expect it to cost too much more than the company's current high-end plasma, the V10 series.

Panasonic includes the required 3D glasses with its 3D TV.

(Credit: Panasonic)

Which brings up an important point: even if it wasn't for 3D, this flagship Panasonic plasma would probably be in the running anyway. That's because it's the successor to the company's TC-PV10 series, which was the only HDTV to earn an Editors' Choice from CNET's TV reviewers last year. The company claims improved black-level performance, and hence better picture quality, and with the company's track record of producing good-performing HDTVs, we have no reason to doubt that claim.

Even if 3D is a technology beset with problems, it's coming soon--like it or not. Panasonic's demos at its 2010 CES booth, and in its relentless promotional touring throughout the year, prove that the technology has come a long way since the cardboard green and red glasses of yore. Other 3D HDTV makers have joined up but Panasonic is the most vocal proponent of the latest craze in home entertainment, and the VT25 series will be a good ambassador for the third dimension.

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Toshiba Bows No-Glasses 3DTVs

October 5, 2010 — Toshiba's glasses-free 3DTVs will make their Japanese debut at the end of December. Availability for the U.S. and other markets remains unknown at presstime.

Japanese consumers will have their choice of two small screen sizes, 12 inches (120,000 yen, or roughly $1440) to 20 inches (240,000 yen, $2880). A more home theater worthy 56-inch prototype was also displayed but was not announced as official product. Toshiba says the ideal screen size for its passive 3D technology is 40 inches. In addition to these new passive 3D models, Toshiba will continue to sell 3DTVs that use active shutter glasses. The news came at Tokyo's CEATEC, a large CE trade show, the Japanese equivalent of CES in the U.S.

Toshiba is using an autostereoscopic technique. A display with four times current HD resolution is covered with a lenticular sheet that directs separate images to each eye. A Cell processor, codeveloped by Toshiba, renders nine images from a single 2D frame in different perspectives (or parallaxes). The brain then superimposes them to generate what is perceived as a 3D image.

According to Toshiba, its passive 3DTV technology "offers a wide viewing area in front of the display and allows movement of the eyes and head without disrupting the 3D image and without the discomfort sometimes associated with other 'glasses-less' 3D

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TV Blare Bill Passes Senate 

  By Mark Fleischmann

October 4, 2010 — Are you tired of TV ads blaring at what seems like a much higher level than the program you actually want to watch? Relief is coming thanks to the CALM Act.

The Commercial Advertisement Loudness Mitigation Act will require the Federal Communications Commission to mandate ad-volume rules already recommended in November 2009 by the Advanced Television Systems Committe, or ATSC, the standard-setting body for DTV. The rules would primarily affect over-the-air DTV and cable systems, which would have a year to comply. The burgeoning internet video industry would not be affected.

More than two years in the making, the bill passed the U.S. House of Representatives late last year and the latest version has now been OKed by the Senate. It will return to the House for reconciliation and a final vote next month.

"I'm thrilled that today we're just one step away from sending this commonsense consumer bill to the President for his signature," said Rep. Anna Eshoo (D-CA), who has been the driving force behind the CALM Act.