Consumers get more choices and products perform more than 1 function

Even though the financial stability of the global economy stares down the barrel of a gun, manufacturers continue to roll items off the production line. Through retailers and distributors, these manufacturers are exposing consumers to a wall of products in the hope that they will be able to reignite the sales boom. Although it might seem like wishful thinking, the only guarantee that has been made is that consumers now find themselves with so much choice that it makes sense for them to shop around for not only the best deal, but for a versatile product too.

The aggressive nature that can be seen by the manufacturers has resulted in almost a surplus of appliances and goods on offer. Whilst this is good for the consumer, the manufacturer now finds itself competing against much more and failure to sell boxes results in wasted time and effort. However, should the manufacturer prepare and develop its products properly, it can find itself reaping in far more than expected. For example, digital cameras have plenty of substitutes and variations in the market. Truthfully, each digital camera performs the same function, simply to a greater or lesser extent. Taking photos is so common place now that even cell phones are even seen as a threat to digital cameras.

MP3 players are also coming under threat from cell phones. Increasingly, people are leaving music players on the shelves as they prefer to only take one gadget with them. MP3 players may well be on the decline as manufacturers such as Sony and Apple begin to integrate Walkman and iPod features into cell phones, perhaps signaling the beginning of the end for digital music players.

Cell phones are not the only electrical goods learning new tricks. Even LCD TVs are evolving. The long lasting living room center piece is doubling up as digital photo frame in some instances. Samsung has begun to include USB ports into its LCD TVs. This allows users to simply plug in their portable storage devices straight into their LCD TV and begin viewing their photos. Some video files can also be played straight off flash drives too.

In conclusion, manufacturers have to be extra creative in producing new items. Innovations in the market place will lead to increased sales and profits. The development of cell phones is frightening, particularly for digital cameras and MP3 players, however, cramming so much into 1 device might make it a mediocre performer in all areas. Regardless, the overall winner in this situation is the consumer, as they will be able to pick and choose which products match their needs and wallets.

1080p high definition TV means consumers get more choice with viewing

The hype surrounding 1080p technology from Sony has died down a bit, but the question still facing consumers is whether or not they should take the plunge.

Sony’s incredible BRAVIA range has been available for about a year now, and with it carries advancement in high definition technology. With first generation HDTVs displaying their high definition content in 1080i resolution, the Sony BRAVIA range looked to turn the arena on its head by introducing 1080p resolution – but has it? With the honeymoon period for the BRAVIA range now over, and with people now beginning to invest in high definition equipment, they also have to decide on whether they want 1080i resolution or 1080p.

First of all, consumers have to try to understand the differences between 1080i and 1080p, and to do that, they need to understand what each is. Both high definition resolutions produce the same sized image, 1920 pixels by 1080 lines. The main difference is the way that they render the final image on screen. With 1080i, the image is interlaced, with odd numbered lines appearing a split second before the even numbered lines. This “painting” effect happens incredibly quickly, all within 1/30 of a second to be exact, so that the eye is tricked into seeing everything appear instantaneously. With 1080p, the image is scanned progressively, whereby the all the lines are conveyed sequentially in one single pass. This means that at any one time, 1080p displays twice the number of lines of resolution, and the resulting image is crisp and flicker free.

Choosing which type of picture is only half of the battle when purchasing a new TV. In its simplest form, a TV is merely an output device, a vehicle in which to carry and display something that is inputted into it. This means that to display high definition content, the TV requires something else that plays in high definition. Currently, high definition sources include digital TV channels, HD-DVD players, Blu-Ray DVD players and a couple of games consoles. At the moment, HD channels from digital TV broadcasts and satellite channels are done using 1080i signals. This in itself causes a bit of a problem. Unfortunately, a lot of HDTVs are not physically able to display an interlaced signal as an image. In situations like this, the HDTV will de-interlace the signal and convert it into a progressive scan signal. So theoretically speaking, this means that all TVs display a 1080i image in 1080p format. Unfortunately, practice does not follow theory perfectly in tow. Complications exist in the de-interlacing process that causes a few problems. The refresh rate of the TV will also have a bearing on the output. All in all, it means that there is a good chance that you will end up with a lower resolution than what you intended.

Currently, HD-DVD players and Blu-Ray DVD players, as well as the PS3, are the only current sources that can output in 1080p signals. HD-DVD is able to output in both progressive and interlaced signals, where as Blu-Ray outputs in 1080p only. In terms of watching a movie in either signal, there is very little difference, and 1080p has a very slight edge in sharpening the images. However, the results are absolutely stunning, and provided that each and every movie is shot in 1080p mode, you should be very much in for a treat. With regards to the PS3, more and more games are being released in 1080p mode. The experience from playing a game in this sharper than sharp resolution is something that cannot be easily described, and it is safe to assume that the results are truly amazing.

1080p is probably the signal that will become the future, as it does seem to be superior as long as all the right and necessary equipment is available. That said, Sony BRAVIA TVs that carry the 1080p ability are more expensive than their 1080i or 720p equivalents. This is typical of Sony, where consumers can expect to pay premium prices for their guaranteed premium quality.. Until there are more 1080p TVs, consumers may still go for the cheaper 1080i versions. However if you do have the budget, you’ll definitely be future proofing your living room with a 1080p.

The digital switchover is happening whether you like it or not

It has recently been announced that the digital switchover for the UK will begin later this year in the Cumbrian town of Whitehaven. Although there’s been a lot of publicity regarding the switchover plans, many people are still unaware as to what it is, and what it means.

TV as we know it will be changing as soon as the end of this year. Analogue TV signals will be switched off and replaced by digital signals. The sleepy town of Whitehaven in Cumbria will be the first in the country to go digital, with the rest of the country following, region by region until the whole of the British Isles will be digitalised in 2012.

Plasma TVs and LCD TVs are already changing the cosmetic aspect of television, and now the way in which we receive our favourite programs is changing. The reason behind this is relatively simple; the government has decided that all areas of the country should be able to watch as many TV channels as possible. By switching off the analogue signals, the digital signals can be boosted to provide crisper receptions to all parts of the country. The end result will be that we will all have a greater choice of TV channels to pick from. For every household, though, there are a few changes that need to be made, as receiving digital signals requires extra equipment.

Since the digital switchover has been announced, technology has also advanced over time. For people who don’t already have satellite or cable TV, stand alone Freeview set top boxes were introduced. Now, a new breed of television set has evolved: plasma and LCD TVs with integrated digital tuners (IDTV). All of this means that there’s a great deal of choice available to the public even just to decide how to receive digital TV! Unfortunately, this may have inadvertently caused a great deal of resistance towards the digital switchover.

Whilst attitudes towards the move are generally positive, an alarming number of the population say that they don’t want to switch to digital, or even that they won’t switch. These reluctant few will argue that the current system doesn’t need fixing, but the fact that many households can’t view the five terrestrial channels clearly suggests that something needs to be done. Although not an obvious place to lead a national change, Whitehaven appears to be the ideal environment in which to pilot the switching. A diverse demographic with mixed levels of rural and urban developments, coupled with the fact that analogue reception is quite poor, means that Whitehaven stands out as being a near perfect test region.

Not all of the local population knows exactly what is to come, but it is certainly no disaster. Many people understand that they’ll be able to use satellite television to watch digital TV after the switchover date, and that’s fine, but they might not be aware that every television set will require a digital connection. Set top boxes will become the obvious and easiest choice, and many people will also be buying new LCD TVs with integrated tuners. Help and information is available, it just needs to be communicated better. Only having one digital receiver will also mean that people will no longer be able to record something on their VCR whilst watching something else. A solution around this would be to buy a DVD recorder with a built in digital tuner, allowing you to continue this pastime.

Although the transition from analogue technology would appear to be somewhat troublesome, the benefits of digital TV should outweigh the hassle substantially. As running analogue signals alongside digital ones would be economically unfeasible, the space vacated by the analogue signals can be redistributed to enhance the digital signals, allowing for more channels or can be used for other technologies such as mobile TV, mobile phones and high definition TV. Digital TV is seen by many as the future, albeit one that is available today and it will pave the way for further developments.