Toshiba's 3D Smart TVs Include ARM Dual-Core CPU

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joytech22

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Both series feature a bezel-less design, are compatible with Android devices. The latter feature will enable users to remotely control the TVs from Android phones and tablets, and share web-based content from a Toshiba Tablet via the web browser on the TV.

Oh, so in order to share content to the TV it HAS to be a Toshiba tablet?
Lol. HDMI + competing brand tablet/phone = workaround.

At least using your phone as a remote is a nifty feature that hopefully supports all Android devices (within reason).
 

nottheking

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My big question regards how well the "3D conversion" will really work on these. 3D displays work because they get two separate display outputs, one for each eye... And the difference between the two images is based upon the actual "depth" for each element in the image. A standard 2D video or game outputs a signal that includes nothing to really tell this apart.

I know some might suggest that such a TV may try to determine the context on its own, but there's a few problems with this:

1. Because of how this sort of system would work, it'd result on a "sprites on a flat background" effect: moving objects will have too few frames to give any real depth to the object itself, and if a whole wide landscape isn't moving, it'll be impossible to tell the depth of, say, individual mountain peaks of the range in the background.
2. It'd likely have to work on determining which parts of the screen move fastest, and make them more foreground. This will screw up royally for any "bullet" time scenes where the camera pans around the character, leaving the character(s) stationary. The result? A nausea-inducing scene where they somehow appear BEHIND the scene. (in any 3D "over the shoulder" game, this would be a constant effect whenever the camera rotates)
3. If it works at all, the quality likely won't be good, given that this thing is only sporting a dual-core ARM CPU. This sort of job would be a hefty one even for a modern, high-end, multi-core, multi-GHz x86 or PowerPC design... (or anything with GPGPU acceleration) But ARM produces a lower per-clock performance than even the Pentium 4 or Intel Atom, and always comes slower than 2 GHz.

Overall, while it sounds like a good thing on paper, and will likely be used to great advertising effect, I highly doubt it'll prove of actual value to most of its prospective buyers. I'm wagering the "smart" features, 240 Hz refresh rate, and bezel-less design will be the real selling points.
 

southernshark

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I'm never going to buy a SMART tv. Nothing smart about buying a product with a 10-12 year lifespan (or longer) with a built in computer that will be out of date in a year.
 
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@nottheking I just got a 3d monitor (4 days ago) which has a 2d-3d converter, and it works ok, not great, just ok. It seemed to work well for photos and youtube videos, and I haven't tried it yet for 2d games (sidescrollers) but I could see it working ok there.

However 3d games are out, I tried this and it was nausseating, I think the issue arrises from the fact that the monitor adds depth to a frame, and when you move, the next frame adds depth to a different degree than the previous frame, leaving you with an inconsistent 3d that feels wrong.
 

nottheking

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[citation][nom]southernshark[/nom]Nothing smart about buying a product with a 10-12 year lifespan (or longer) with a built in computer that will be out of date in a year.[/citation]
Doesn't that describe a PC? Almost none of my PCs have ever died within that timeframe, if at all; I've had the occasional bad motherboard burn up on me, but I've had plenty of ancient machines from the 80s and 90s still kicking around today.

Just because the hardware power within a gadget will be easily eclipsed in the future doesn't mean it won't be worthless. I mean, my comparatively ancient "dumb" phone still works perfectly fine at what it's supposed to: send and receive calls and text messages. I don't get power for power's sake, even in a PC: it's because I have a solution that requires it. Most often, like for most enthusiasts, it's a game. The same applies for other electronics: the features it boasts only need what it has, so its power will do fine. CPUs have been in TVs for years... It's only just now that they start to boast about them.
 

jgutz2006

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this thing is beautiful...everything else is just extra, i would buy this simply based on the display/bezel. I've been wondering why they dont integrate an android-ish OS into tv's (obviously without touchscreen) because they can pack a ton of power in a small smartphone, its not going to suddenly make a TV bulky looking and suddenly this TV is much more useful
 

freggo

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Today's smart TVs have more computing power than the IBM mainframe we had at the university back in the late 70s.
Who'd have thought than in 2012 you need a Mainframe to watch -reality- TV :)

 

southernshark

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[citation][nom]nottheking[/nom]Doesn't that describe a PC? .[/citation]


No it does not describe a PC, because with a PC I don't have a choice. If I want something to do what a PC does, I have to have a PC, or some computer of similar power.

On the other hand with a TV, I do have a choice. I can either buy a "Smart TV" which will be obsolete in 1-2 years, or I could buy a TV which will last 10-15 years and then attach a media PC, or other device to it. Some of the android boxes are in the $200 dollar range, which makes it much cheaper and easier to upgrade, than to go out and buy a brand new TV.

Putting a computer into a TV is a dumb idea and the people who buy it are dumb people.
 

eldridgep

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WE MUST NOT LET OUR TVS BECOME SMART!!!. LEAVE THAT TO OUR PHONES AND XBOX'S AND OUR UPGRADABLE COMPUTERS. I DONT WANT MORE POWER IN MY TV. DO NOT FORCE THIS ON ME.

Seriously I cannot understand the logic of NOT wanting a powerful cpu in a tv. It should have been done years ago.Just look at the size of an eyephone a transformer and wonder why it is not standard with a tv. There will always be low end tvs for the most part if you want a "Stupid" tv.
 

DaddyW123

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[citation][nom]nottheking[/nom]My big question regards how well the "3D conversion" will really work on these. 3D displays work because they get two separate display outputs, one for each eye... And the difference between the two images is based upon the actual "depth" for each element in the image. A standard 2D video or game outputs a signal that includes nothing to really tell this apart.I know some might suggest that such a TV may try to determine the context on its own, but there's a few problems with this:1. Because of how this sort of system would work, it'd result on a "sprites on a flat background" effect: moving objects will have too few frames to give any real depth to the object itself, and if a whole wide landscape isn't moving, it'll be impossible to tell the depth of, say, individual mountain peaks of the range in the background.2. It'd likely have to work on determining which parts of the screen move fastest, and make them more foreground. This will screw up royally for any "bullet" time scenes where the camera pans around the character, leaving the character(s) stationary. The result? A nausea-inducing scene where they somehow appear BEHIND the scene. (in any 3D "over the shoulder" game, this would be a constant effect whenever the camera rotates)3. If it works at all, the quality likely won't be good, given that this thing is only sporting a dual-core ARM CPU. This sort of job would be a hefty one even for a modern, high-end, multi-core, multi-GHz x86 or PowerPC design... (or anything with GPGPU acceleration) But ARM produces a lower per-clock performance than even the Pentium 4 or Intel Atom, and always comes slower than 2 GHz.Overall, while it sounds like a good thing on paper, and will likely be used to great advertising effect, I highly doubt it'll prove of actual value to most of its prospective buyers. I'm wagering the "smart" features, 240 Hz refresh rate, and bezel-less design will be the real selling points.[/citation]
I have a sony 3D TV, and there is a simulated 3D Mode where you can turn it on for normal 2D Content, but really all it does is makes the picture look like it's 3 dimensional from the bezel... but the characters don't really look 3D from their own setting. So I never use it.
 

DeViLzzz2007

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2D to 3D is pretty funny sometimes as I had it made an object look 3D but then for some reason lay face first on the ground ....

2D to 3D doesn't always work right but it is worthwhile as I have had good experiences with it on my Samsung 51" 3D plasma 1080p tv ... PN51D550

In regards to bezel I actually want them to stop doing away with larger ones as I don't want the tv screen/picture to blend in with the wall or surrounding back drop. I think it will actually make viewing what is on the tv harder to look at. I want to be focused on the program and not my wall or what is on it and I think that is what less bezel will lead to.
 

DeViLzzz2007

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[citation][nom]captaincharisma[/nom]pass! i will wait for glassless 3DTV's instead of wasting money on one right now[/citation]

... seen them and they do not present as good a 3D experience but I assume they are working on them constantly to make the tech better but really with the sale prices at around Xmas time and with the fact that 3D basically is becoming common place in tvs I don't see how a person can't experience 3D tv sometime this year without paying a fortune and well for the record the glasses are hardly an annoyance and this statement is coming from someone who has to wear the 3D glasses over his regular glasses
 
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