From streaming media to 3D TV, this has been an interesting year.
December 20, 2011 | by Grant Clauser
As the year comes to a close, it’s traditional to come out with lists of the best, worst, most interesting, most dull, etc. stories of the past year. Lucky for Electronic House, 2011 has been a pretty exciting year for home technology. We rounded up our favorite trends and controversies for a quick year-in-review of some of the biggest stories of 2011 as well as a few thoughts on where some of these trends may be taking us.
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https://www.electronichouse.com/article/biggest_home_technology_trends_from_2011/
Passive Aggressive
When LG first announced their plans to offer 3D TVs using passive polarized glasses, we were skeptical due to the resolution compromise of the technology. But when we tried the TV out ourselves we were convinced that it’s a viable option. So were a lot of other people, at least according to LG’s research. In fact, LG used that research to launch some fighting words on Sony, which fought back.
So far, active-shutter glasses 3D still provides the superior picture. Still, we expect more passive systems to come in 2012 and possible even some 4K resolution TVs that solve passive systems’ problems.
Is the iPad replacing the touch panel?
As more control and automation companies offer apps, more customers ask why they can’t just use their iPads to operate their systems rather than the more expensive dedicated touchpanels. There are pros and cons on both sides of the issue, but it boils down to the fact that a tablet designed for a wide range of uses doesn’t always make a good primary control device (jack of all trades, master of none). Well, if your control system is designed around iOS it might, as seen in this Savant-controlled home.
Flex Theaters
The home theater was the place for the big screen and projector, while the media room or family rom held the flat panel TV. Why, because people in the family room didn’t want to hang in total darkness like bats. Chalk it up to sports and video games, but big-screen projectors have left the basement theater and joined the rest of the family. Projectors are getting brighter, smaller and quieter, making them more family-room friendly than ever before. While we still love a dedicated theater, a family room with a 100-inch screen is also a great place to watch Wednesday night television.
Click here to view the full article
https://www.electronichouse.com/article/biggest_home_technology_trends_from_2011/