Audio Video News

UHD TV on the Cheap & Other Tech Bits from CE Week

Bob Ankosko  |  Jul 3, 2015

Shown at the recent CE Week event in New York City, the Westinghouse WD65NC4190 65-inch Ultra HD TV just hit bestbuy.com with a $1,400 price tag. Highlights include smart TV functionality with built-in Wi-Fi, HDMI 2.0 with HDCP 2.2 copy protection, and a smartphone control app. A 42-inch model that will sell for $500 was also on display and the company plans to offer the set in 85-, 55- and 50-inch screen sizes.


Onkyo’s Dolby Atmos-capable TX-NR747 ($999) will be hitting store shelves very soon, according to Kevin Brannan, director of marketing. The 7.2-channel AV receiver is THX-certified and equipped with HDCP 2.2 to ensure seamless playback of copy-protected Ultra HD content.


FlyGrip Gravity is a clever accessory that makes it easy to hold and operate your phone with one hand, which is particularly handy when you’re taking photos or shooting video. Available in eight designs, it sells for $29.95 (including a phone case), doubles as a kickstand (portrait or landscape), and has a self-adhesive strip for easy attachment to any phone (or case).


Roel Peeters, co-founder and CEO of Roost, showed a 9-volt smart battery with a five-year life that transforms an ordinary smoke alarm into a smart device by connecting to your Wi-Fi network and sending alarm notifications to an app on your phone. If the alarm turns out to be false—caused by, say, burning toast—you simply hit “snooze.” Roost sells for $35 and notifies you via the app when it’s time to buy a new lithium battery pack so you won’t have to put up with those annoying low-battery chirps.

COMMENTS
jnemesh's picture
Submitted by jnemesh on July 6, 2015 - 11:46am

I haven't seen the Westinghouse UHD sets...but I HAVE seen their 1080p sets. STAY AWAY. FAR, FAR away! There is a reason these sets sell at the price point they do. They cut corners. They skimp on the scaling hardware (so your 1080p blu-ray discs and plain old cable TV won't look very good), they skimp on things like the power supply (so don't expect longevity from the set)...they skimp on things you will never see, like the capacitors and other electronics used, which also affects picture quality AND longevity.

Can't afford a new Samsung, Sony, LG, or Panasonic UHD set? I would recommend that you live with what you have and save up for a BRAND NAME set before rushing out and grabbing one of these!

It's kind of like cameras. You can find a really cheap 20 megapixel camera that takes worse pictures than a GOOD Canon 14 Megapixel model. If all you care about is that the set has UHD resolution, fine. If you care about the actual PICTURE...move along.

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