February 17, 2010 – Televisions.com’s test team draws on its extensive and credible experience to review the Sony KDL – 40 V 5810 leveraging subjective analysis coupled with objective laboratory measurements. This potent blend enables the testers to rate a 7.7 out of 10 points for the 40 inch Full HD Sony LCD TV. The review waxes eloquent about the TV’s impressively high contrast ratio, neutral colors, accurate 24p reproduction and the universal tuner (including CI+). The combination of first-rate features, images with rich contrasts and color consistency attribute the TV with a decent “Editor’s Rating”. The reviewer has voiced slight criticism for the TV’s poor motion clarity with standard signals and the lack of a full set of aspect-ratio settings. Televisions.com’s editor-in-chief, Florian Friedrich said: “The Sony KDL-40 V delivers and at first glance seems to rival bigger and better models and is a good buy.”

The later part of the review also showers praise on the multimedia capabilities of the TV with the USB and network connections providing brilliant photo-playback capabilities with the surprise display of even the camera metadata if present. State-of-the-art picture correction techniques find favour with the reviewers along with the CI+ DVB-C tuner meeting latest standards. The remote control is almost perfect, the only exceptions being the awkward placement of the picture format button at top of the device and the omission of the back button. The accurate scaling of cable and satellite pictures with a high degree of detail when coming from a digital tuner are impressive. Sony’s obvious attempt to cut costs by omitting the 100-200 hertz technology leaves a blemish on the otherwise pristine picture quality by attributing a blur to fast moving pictures such as in sports broadcasts. The review speaks highly of the superb quality of Blu-ray and HDTV signals from satellite receivers reproduced with sharpness and scaling exceeding expectations. The reviewers also claim that by lowering the backlight settings to half, the power consumption can be considerably reduced. The TV’s colors are praised highly in the review with minor deficiencies found only when compared to higher end benchmark models. A list of ideal settings is provided in the review that allows users to customize realistic playback of HDTV/Blu-ray material through the HDMI interface in a darkened environment: these settings were arrived at by professionally calibrating the TV in the test theatre of Televisions.com. The high quality picture had Friedrich impressed: “The impressive picture depth, superb black reproduction and true colors rank this TV high among its contemporaries.”

Press contact:
Matt Morgan
28 Magnolia Gardens
Edgware, Middlesex HA8 9GH, UK
Tel.: +91 2040 712 415,
eMail: [email protected]

Website: http://www.televisions.com/

February 08, 2010 – In a review published today, Televisions.com takes a closer look at Sony’s XEL-1 OLED TV, which hit the market early last year. The review includes subjective picture quality evaluation by experienced experts, as well as objective analysis using sophisticated measurement techniques. The combination of these approaches leads to an overall rating of 6.3 out of 10 points. Although the score is fairly low, the reviewer airs plenty of praise for the device’s picture. In fact, many of the criticisms went to the device’s more general characteristics – the small size, low resolution, and high price. The review praises, for example, the screen’s high motion clarity and excellent colours, as well as – thanks to the OLED technology – a sensational contrast ratio. And although the team gives the XEL-1 a fairly cool overall write-up, they seem highly impressed by OLED. Televisions.com‘s editor-in-chief, Florian Friedrich, said: “If development keeps going steady, OLED will one day outstrip both plasma and LCD. We’ll await future developments with bated breath.”

The review begins with a detailed explanation of how OLED works, and describes the technology’s current state of development. Much of the review’s early praise centres on the XEL-1‘s slender design, although the reviewer points out that the TV‘s compact dimensions restrict the space needed for other features. The only multimedia, for example, is a USB input for photo playback. The resolution is also unusually low, earning the TV genuine criticism. Operation-wise, the reviewer was generally impressed with the XEL-1‘s menu and the remote control’s design. Many of the picture-quality criticisms related to the low resolution, and the review is careful to draw attention to the screen’s impressive blacks and accurate colours. Friedrich added: “On the one hand, this miniature Sony impresses with perfect blacks and extraordinary motion-clarity. On the other hand, we have to admit that we were disappointed with the low resolution.”

Press contact:
Matt Morgan
28 Magnolia Gardens
Edgware, Middlesex HA8 9GH, UK
Tel.: +91 2040 712 415,
eMail: [email protected]

February 4, 2010 – The international reviews website Televisions.com has today released its review of the Sony PlayStation 3 Slim. The team’s laboratory combines sophisticated measurement processes with subjective analysis to derive an overall rating for tested devices; the PlayStation 3 Slim scored 8.6 out of 10 points. The reviewers explain that they were already impressed with the original PlayStation 3, and that the Slim has cleared up many of its predecessor’s shortcomings – offering lower power consumption, enhanced operation thanks to HDMI-CEC support, a bigger hard drive, and bitstream output of HD audio. But the review also points out areas in which the player suffers the same problems as the original version – there’s no de-interlacing for 1080/50i or 1080/60i signals – and even placers where the new player lacks functionality seen in the earlier model – the SD-card reader has disappeared, for one. But don’t be fooled by the slight criticism – Televisions.com‘s editor-in-chief, Florian Friedrich, said: “The new slim version of the PlayStation 3 outperforms its predecessor – as well as being smaller and cheaper! On the wider market too, the wide range of functions makes it nigh-on unbeatable.”

Indeed, there’s plenty of praise to be found in Televisions write-up. Multimedia features heavily, with the reviewers paying tribute to the player’s “unrivalled versatility” in internet applications and network playback. There’s also automatic playlist detection for HD camcorder videos – this, again, earns special praise in the review. The reviewer’s tests revealed perfect Blu-ray picture quality, with flicker-free images and accurate levels for blacker-than-black and whiter-than-white content. Likewise, DVD playback receives plenty of compliments for its sharp, flicker-free images. The review ends with a table comparing the Slim with its predecessor – this makes it clear how much of an improvement Sony has made. One reviewer summarised the device’s performance by saying: “Although the Slim isn’t actually that much slimmer, you can’t fault its wide range of improvements over the original PlayStation 3. One of the best players on the market just got better.”

Press contact:
Matt Morgan
28 Magnolia Gardens
Edgware, Middlesex HA8 9GH, UK
Tel.: +91 2040 712 415,
eMail: [email protected]

February 3, 2010 – Televisions.com‘s review of the Sharp LC-52 DH 77 E draws on the test team’s years of experience to evaluate the TV’s performance using both subjective analysis and objective laboratory measurements. This combination allows the testers to derive an overall score of 7.4 out of 10 points for the Sharp. The review praises the TV’s high contrast ratio and accurate colours, as well as its faithful reproduction of 24p material. These factors suggest impressive overall picture quality, according to Televisions.com, and largely account for the TV’s decent “Editor’s Rating”. But the reviewer goes on to criticise the set’s poor motion clarity and lack of format switching for HD signals. While the review stops short of recommending the Sharp for the home cinema, the website’s editor-in-chief, Florian Friedrich, said: “Overall, the Sharp delivers a decent picture and is well suited to everyday TV viewing.”

There’s more praise later in the review: The remote control, for example, is said to be user-friendly, thanks to its small size and direct-access buttons. Standard-definition pictures get the thumbs-up, apart from some blur reported in dark areas of HDMI-576i pictures. High-definition signals also impress, although the reviewer notes a slight lack of accuracy and – again – some motion blur. Although the review quotes the set’s colour temperature at 6,300 Kelvin and praises the uniform grey balance, it also highlights colour errors, such as a green tint in blue areas – sky or ocean, for example. The review then offers users a list of ideal settings designed to optimise the TV‘s picture for the dark home-cinema environment – the reviewers determined these settings by calibrating the TV professionally in their test theatre. Of the HD picture, Friedrich added: “The 52-incher delivers a well-balanced HDTV picture. Night-time scenes mightn’t look quite as three-dimensional as on many other TVs, but the picture still provides impressive depth.”

Press contact:
Matt Morgan
28 Magnolia Gardens
Edgware, Middlesex HA8 9GH, UK
Tel.: +91 2040 712 415,
eMail: [email protected]

February 1, 2010 – The online reviews platform Televisions.com has reviewed LG’s BD 390, a Blu-ray and DVD player released in summer 2009. The review combines laboratory measurements with subjective picture- and sound-quality analysis to derive an overall rating of 8.9 out of 10 points for the device. The review praises many aspects of the BD 390′s performance – low power consumption, multimedia capabilities, and accurate Blu-ray playback – but highlights errors in its DVD de-interlacing. Nevertheless, praise also goes to the extensive connectivity and quiet operation; altogether, the device receives a very positive write-up from the Televisions.com reviewers. The site’s editor-in-chief, Florian Friedrich, said: “The BD 390 is a superb device that really can do everything: It delivers a first-class, extremely sharp, and colour-optimised Blu-ray picture, as well as YouTube videos and other multimedia treats.”

The reviewer expressed delight at the player’s extensive video-adjustment options, some of which they claim are a first in Blu-ray players. Further praise goes to the design of the LG‘s remote control, and especially to the flap concealing rarely used buttons. There’s criticism for the slight de-interlacing errors in 1080i material; otherwise, the reviewer cannot find fault with the LG’s BD playback. But while the 1080i errors are seen as a small hiccup, the review describes the DVD de-interlacing as a genuine weakness. Nevertheless, the overall verdict for DVDs is positive, with the reviewer simply remarking that other players perform better. Televisions.com also applauds the BD 390‘s versatile audio outputs. And although the reviewer recommends outputting audio digitally, praise goes to player for providing analogue audio signals for older AV receivers. One reviewer said: “With the BD 390, LG has produced a truly excellent Blu-ray player that caters to various users’ needs. Although we highlighted small errors in de-interlacing, both DVDs and Blu-rays play back excellently, earning the player a solid thumbs-up.”

Press contact:
Matt Morgan
28 Magnolia Gardens
Edgware, Middlesex HA8 9GH, UK
Tel.: +91 2040 712 415,
email: [email protected]

January 30, 2010 – Televisions.com has evaluated the Yamaha BD-S 1065‘s performance using a combination of laboratory testing and subjective output-quality analysis. In a review published on the site’s homepage today, this method of evaluation resulted in an overall rating of 7.8 out of 10. The review awarded points for the player’s high-quality output of film-based content, as well as its support for BD-Live, but expressed disappointment with the device’s DVD de-interlacing. Televisions.com also criticised the Yamaha’s audible fan and slow disc drive. The comprehensive audio outputs clearly impressed the review team and were perhaps the player’s biggest saving grace – the review applauds, for example, the presence of an analogue output for HD audio: “Yamaha‘s new BD player is one of only a few on the market to deliver the new audio formats Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD to older HDMI-1.1 receivers that lack a bit-stream decoder.”

The review goes on to examine in detail the picture quality with DVDs and Blu-rays. High-definition signals from Blu-rays impress the reviewers, who describe the resulting pictures as flawless. It’s a different story with DVDs, which draw various criticisms from Televisions.com. The site’s editor-in-chief and head tester, Florian Friedrich, said in the review: “All test sequences from films or TV material – without exception – suffered from flicker. This is reminiscent of the first DVD players released in the 1990s!” There’s also harsh criticism of the lack of multimedia capabilities: The review points out that – via USB, at least – the player only supports BD-Live and JPEG playback, which is well below expectations for a device at this price point.

Criticism even extends to the player’s remote control, which, although easy to use, lacks direct-access buttons for rotating or zooming during photo playback. All in all, the review gives a fairly negative round-up of the Yamaha‘s performance. One reviewer summarised: “This is a great Blu-ray player, but that’s not enough these days. The only obvious reason to buy it is if you’re hanging on to an older AV receiver and need a 7.1-channel analogue output. Even then, there are better, cheaper players out there than can do the same as the Yamaha.”

Press contact:
Matt Morgan
28 Magnolia Gardens
Edgware, Middlesex HA8 9GH, UK
Tel.: +91 2040 712 415,
email: [email protected]

January 28, 2010 – Televisions.com combines its team’s years of experience in the consumer-electronics industry with a measurement laboratory packed full of the latest high-tech analysis equipment. Subjective evaluation of design and picture quality joins evaluation of objective criteria such as contrast and brightness to form an overall rating for tested devices; the Sony KDL-52 Z 5800 scored 8.3 out of 10 points. The review pays tribute to the TV’s bright image and accurate colours, as well as to the inclusion of a universal multi-tuner for analogue TV, DVB-T, DVB-C, and DVB-S2. But the reviewer was disappointed by the TV’s poor motion clarity in film-based material and its inability to switch the format of up-scaled 4:3 pictures. Nevertheless, Televisions.com‘s editor-in-chief, Florian Friedrich, said: “Admittedly, 2,500 pounds isn’t exactly cheap for a TV, but the Sony is worth every penny – even despite weaknesses such as pronounced viewing-angle dependence.”

The KDL-52 Z 5800‘s multimedia capabilities get a very positive write-up from Televisions.com: The review praises, for example, the TV‘s internet access and streaming network playback. Easy operation earned the Sony more applause, although the reviewer pointed out some confusing quirks, such as awkward channel-list navigation for DVB-S. There’s more praise for both the standard- and high-definition picture quality, although SD signals are said to show slight noise, and HD shows some slight colour errors. The review then offers users a list of ideal picture settings designed to optimise the TV’s picture in the dark home-cinema environment – the reviewers derive these settings using measurement devices before going on to measure the TV’s power consumption and efficiency. Always measuring these values for an ideal picture setup levels the playing field for tested devices.

Friedrich summarised what the Sony has to offer: “The KDL-52 Z 5800 is Sony’s first TV with a universal multi-tuner, but that’s just one of many selling points – not least of which is the outstanding picture quality.”

Press contact:
Matt Morgan
28 Magnolia Gardens
Edgware, Middlesex HA8 9GH, UK
Tel.: +91 2040 712 415,
email: [email protected]

January 25, 2010 – In a review published today, Televisions.com combines laboratory measurement techniques with subjective picture- and audio-quality analysis to evaluate the design and performance of the Mitsubishi HC 6800; this LCD projector scored 7.4 out of 10 points. The review team praised the device’s bright images, balanced colours, and 2D lens shift function, but scored it down for the average contrast ratio and bluish tint in black areas of the picture. Based on these characteristics, Televisions.com goes on to recommend the projector to those planning to project a large image in a bright room, but warns away avid home-cinema fans because of – in particular – the weak blacks. The site’s head tester and editor-in-chief, Florian Friedrich, said: “Simple operation and a versatile set of features add to the list of positives, but the blue-tinted blacks might turn away more-demanding home-cinema fans.”

The review applauds Mitsubishi‘s choice to include a Silicon Optics video processor ability to reproduce blacker-than-black information. Contrast is a particularly sore point in Televisions.com‘s write-up – the review explains that the HC 6800‘s 1,000:1 ratio compares poorly with those of other projectors, and offers advice on how to get the best one, it says, allows the HC 6800 to tease the best picture quality out of standard-definition signals. HD signals earn similar praise, although the review notes the projector’s contrast possible. Similar advice appears in the ideal settings section of the review, in which Televisions.com provides users with a list of settings, intended to optimise the Mitsubishi HC 6800 for HD playback in a dark home cinema. Friedrich said: “All in all, our test candidate can’t match the vivid presentation of the HC 7000, but offers almost twice the brightness – and that’s more than just a consolation prize!”

Press contact:
Matt Morgan
28 Magnolia Gardens
Edgware, Middlesex HA8 9GH, UK
Tel.: +91 2040 712 415,
eMail: [email protected]

alaTest is a web service developed by International Consumer Services Sweden AB, headquartered in Stockholm, Sweden. ICSS AB is an independent company. alaScore™ is a complex algorithm that recollects different product quality ratings from reliable sources, standardizes them and develops them into the most unbiased result currently available in the market. To find out more about alaScore™ visit alaTest.com

Body:-

alaTest, the market and technology leader in product quality information, Reviews of Digital Camera, Best Cell Phones Price Comparisons and Ratings, TV Reviews, Top GPS Reviews. today announced that it has won the “Red Herring Top Global 100 Award” as one of the top technology startups in the world. The award caps a year of unprecedented growth for alaTest in which the company achieved profitability, secured a large round of financing and expanded its client base to include companies like Kelkoo, Shopzilla, Neckermann, Sony Ericsson and Intel. The award is the second alaTest has received from Red Herring, which also named alaTest to its 2008 Top 100 Europe list.

The Red Herring editorial team rigorously reviewed 1,200 privately held companies from around the world to select the Global 100 winners. Red Herring 100 regional winners and finalists from North America, Europe, and Asia of the last three years are eligible for the award, and evaluation are based on both quantitative and qualitative criteria such as financial performance, innovation, management, and global strategy.

“I am incredibly proud of what alaTest with its small but highly skilled team has accomplished since the launch in 2005.To receive appreciation from our visitors are the absolute most important”, said Arie Struik, founder and CEO of alaTest. “Obviously it’s a fantastic opportunity to to meet some of the great greats within the Internet industry, such as Google, Yahoo and CNET in their own back yard in California where they already know us. It shows that our business model do not only present the aggregated reviews on our own portals but also on our clients sites is the right heading for alaTest”.

alaTest has successfully built up a portal for product quality comparison as well as a unique method of syndication of aggregated product reviews for GPS, TV, GPS, Digital Camera, Laptop, Cell phone, Games etc. to business to business partners to increase sales on partner websites. The alaTest database currently holds almost five million reviews and alaTest websites served over 3.6 million visitors in December of 2008. The service is currently available in 15 markets, including USA, Germany, France, United Kingdom, China, and soon Japan.

“Winning the European award was great but of course winning the Global one the year after is a whole new level, especially here in the US”, said a happy and grateful Arie Struik on site in San Diego to receive the award.

Arie Struik also participated in the expert panel of Web 3.0: Semantic Web.

About Red Herring

Red Herring is a global media company that unites the world’s best high technology innovators, venture investors and business decision makers in a variety of forums: a leading innovation magazine, an online daily technology news service, technology newsletters and major events for technology leaders around the globe. Red Herring provides an insider’s access to the global innovation economy, featuring unparalleled insights on the emerging technologies driving the economy. More information about Red Herring is available on the Internet at www.redherring.com.

About alaTest™

alaTest™ is an independent, free online service that helps consumers with their purchasing decisions. Available on the Internet at www.alaTest.com the site provides a global, objectively aggregated product quality rating called the alaScore™. It also presents product reviews and pricing information. At present the database offers more than 4,900.000 product reviews with emphasis on consumer electronics from more than 1,000 international review sources such as Consumer Reports, CNET.com, PC World, Stiftung Warentest, etc.

For more information, please contact: Arie Struik

CEO and Founder of alaTest

Gävlegatan 18A
SE-113 30 Stockholm
SWEDEN
Tel: +46 8 30 12 75
Mob: +46 707 555 414
E-mail: arie at alaTest.com
http://alatest.com/

alaTest, the market and technology leader in product quality information, Reviews of Digital Camera, Best Cell Phones Price Comparions and Ratings, TV Reviews, Top GPS Reviews. today announced that it has won the “Red Herring Top Global 100 Award” as one of the top technology startups in the world. The award caps a year of unprecedented growth for alaTest in which the company achieved profitability, secured a large round of financing and expanded its client base to include companies like Kelkoo, Shopzilla, Neckermann, Sony Ericsson and Intel. The award is the second alaTest has received from Red Herring, which also named alaTest to its 2008 Top 100 Europe list.

The Red Herring editorial team rigorously reviewed 1,200 privately held companies from around the world to select the Global 100 winners. Red Herring 100 regional winners and finalists from North America, Europe, and Asia of the last three years are eligible for the award, and evaluation are based on both quantitative and qualitative criteria such as financial performance, innovation, management, and global strategy.

“I am incredibly proud of what alaTest with its small but highly skilled team has accomplished since the launch in 2005.To receive appreciation from our visitors are the absolute most important”, said Arie Struik, founder and CEO of alaTest. “Obviously it’s a fantastic opportunity to to meet some of the great greats within the Internet industry, such as Google, Yahoo and CNET in their own back yard in California where they already know us. It shows that our business model do not only present the aggregated reviews on our own portals but also on our clients sites is the right heading for alaTest”.

alaTest has successfully built up a portal for product quality comparison as well as a unique method of syndication of aggregated product reviews for GPS, TV, GPS, Digital Camera, Laptop, Cell phone, Games etc. to business to business partners to increase sales on partner websites. The alaTest database currently holds almost five million reviews and alaTest websites served over 3.6 million visitors in December of 2008. The service is currently available in 15 markets, including USA, Germany, France, United Kingdom, China, and soon Japan.

“Winning the European award was great but of course winning the Global one the year after is a whole new level, especially here in the US”, said a happy and grateful Arie Struik on site in Sand Diego to receive the award.

Arie Struik also participated in the expert panel of Web 3.0: Semantic Web.

About Red Herring

Red Herring is a global media company that unites the world’s best high technology innovators, venture investors and business decision makers in a variety of forums: a leading innovation magazine, an online daily technology news service, technology newsletters and major events for technology leaders around the globe. Red Herring provides an insider’s access to the global innovation economy, featuring unparalleled insights on the emerging technologies driving the economy. More information about Red Herring is available on the Internet at www.redherring.com.

About alaTest™

alaTest™ is an independent, free online service that helps consumers with their purchasing decisions. Available on the Internet at www.alaTest.com the site provides a global, objectively aggregated product quality rating called the alaScore™. It also presents product reviews and pricing information. At present the database offers more than 4,900.000 product reviews with emphasis on consumer electronics from more than 1,000 international review sources such as Consumer Reports, CNET.com, PC World, Stiftung Warentest, etc.

For more information, please contact: Arie Struik

CEO and Founder of alaTest

Gävlegatan 18A
SE-113 30 Stockholm
SWEDEN
Tel: +46 8 30 12 75
Mob: +46 707 555 414
E-mail: arie at alaTest.com
http://alatest.com/