On November 1, Energy Star will officially launch its revised specification for TVs, version 3.0, which promises to significantly reduce power consumption. After that date, TVs must meet the new spec to carry the Energy Star logo.

It may come as a surprise that prior to the new spec, TVs were only tested in standby mode (plugged in but turned off) to comply with Energy Star. The TVs were never turned on for the test, and the only thing that qualified them for the logo, since 2005, was the ability to draw less than a watt when turned off.

Standby testing is important, of course--TVs, even in America, spend more than 80 percent of the time turned off--but by early this year the majority of TVs on the market have standby draws of less than a watt, which is insignificant considering how much power they draw when turned on.

Version 3.0 finally institutes standards for "power on" certification, and judging from the extensive list of supporting documents at Energy Star's official site, settling on a spec was a long and contentious battle. But now that the spec is in effect, TV power consumption in "power on" mode will lilkely fall across the board. The key, as usual, is in the details of the spec.

The BenQ MP512 ST

(Credit: BenQ)

BenQ describes its MP512ST projector as "designed for the Nintendo Wii," and by that we assume they mean white, inexpensive, and standard-definition. All the more reason for us to be surprised when this little unit produced a decent picture, albeit not quite at the level found on more-expensive high-definition projectors. Still, for less than $600, or about the price of a bargain-brand 32-inch flat-panel LCD, it's tough to complain.

Read the full review of the BenQ MP512ST.

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In addition to producing deep black levels, Sony's KDL-52XBR6 lets you exchange the silver speaker grille for another color.

(Credit: CNET)

In the contest for "best LCD," the main combatants for the last couple of years have been Sony and Samsung. We reviewed Samsung's LN52A650 earlier this year and liked what we saw enough to award it our Editors' Choice. Sony's latest contender for that award is the subject of our latest HDTV review, the KDL-52XBR6.

First things first: this Sony ain't cheap. But its ability to produce a deep shade of black is unmatched in our experience by any non-LED-based LCD or non-Kuro plasma, and many other aspects of its performance, especially its video processing, were definitely impressive. On the other hand, for that much cash we expected better color accuracy and screen uniformity.

Those picture quality issues swayed our decision making enough to keep the EC award in Samsung's camp for this round, although both scored the same overall and the argument can definitely be made that the Sony has the better overall picture, price notwithstanding. If black levels are your bag and you don't want a plasma, you can't do better than the XBR6 without shelling out gobs more money for an LED model.

Read the full review of the Sony Bravia KDL-52XBR6.

(Credit: CNET)

A PriceScan report entitled "LCD TV Prices Fall Fast in Advance of Holiday Shopping" has found that prices for 40-inch 1080p LCD HDTVs fell 12 percent in the third quarter of 2008, including eight percent in September alone.

According to Jeff Trester, PriceSCAN Co-CEO and Chief Economist, "This

For those of you who want to play your multimedia files on a TV without the need to hook up it up to a PC, Iomega has a solution for you.

The ScreenPlay TV Link is a small Post-it-sized box that connects to your TV via a composite, component, or ...

Panasonic's TH-58PZ800U, a 58-inch THX-certified plasma, earned our Editors' Choice award.

(Credit: CNET)

Earlier this year we awarded the 50-inch Panasonic TH-50PZ800U our Editors' Choice among 50-inch plasma TVs, and now that we've reviewed the newly released 58-inch version, it predictably gets a similar review, with an identical score and Editors' Choice award. Part of the reason has to do with its color accuracy, for which the TV's THX Display Certification deserves credit.

The bigger Panasonic still didn't perform as well as our new reference standard, the Pioneer Elite Kuro PRO-111FD--which we assume will perform as well, in turn, as the 60-inch Elite PRO-151FD--but those Elite models are just too expensive to earn our Editors' Choice. The 50-inch Elite, for example, costs more than the 58-inch Panasonic, and the 60-inch Elite is off the charts.

If you're shopping for a massive-screen plasma, the other high-end option is the 60-inch non-Elite Pioneer, model PDP-6020FD. Too bad it's significantly more expensive than the 58-inch Panasonic itself, and judging from our review of the 50-inch version, its color accuracy is a big issue. Couple that with the fact that, according to our observations, the 58-inch Panasonic delivered even deeper black levels than the 50-inch model, we feel the EC and higher rating compared with the non-Elite Pioneer is justified, again.

For folks just looking for a massive screen, regardless of form factor, it's still difficult to justify the higher cost of plasma over rear-projection. Our current rear-projection EC is the 61-inch Samsung HL61A750, a superb-performing LED-based DLP model that can't quite match the overall picture quality of any of those plasmas, but costs a dark sight less.

What's your take? Let us know in the comments section.

read the full review of the Panasonic Viera TH-58PZ800U.

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Sony's prototype 0.3-millimeter OLED display.

(Credit: Erica Ogg/CNET News)

CHIBA, Japan--Sony has an entire wall of its 11-inch XEL-1 OLED TVs set up here at Ceatec 2008, but in contrast with past gadget shows, it's not the only company showing off OLED prototypes.

Panasonic may ...

Pioneer's Elite Kuro PRO-111FD

(Credit: CNET)

For once, the headline is not an exaggeration. We just finished testing the 50-inch PRO-111FD, and like most professional publications who got there first, and most viewers who have seen this TV or its 60-inch brother in action, we came away very impressed by what we saw--so much that we felt compelled to award the first "10" we've ever given for picture quality.

The Elite Kuro may cost a mint, but if you have the cash to burn and the discerning eye to appreciate the differences, it's worth it. It produced the deepest black levels we've tested outside of OLED and the most-accurate color, and in most other important picture quality areas it performed admirably. That's the short story.

Read the full review of the Pioneer Elite Kuro PRO-111FD.

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CHIBA, Japan--Already skeptical about the ability of OLED to uproot the TV technology dominance of plasma and LCD in the next few years, Panasonic cast even more doubt on the opening day of Ceatec 2008.

Speaking to a group of reporters, Panasonic AVC Networks President Toshihiro Sakamoto reiterated that OLED (...

Panasonic's connected home concept.

(Credit: Erica Ogg/CNET News)

CHIBA, Japan--It won't be ready for at least three or five years, but Panasonic's Total Living Space Solution is a cool, elegant combination of all your home gadgets and appliances in one.

The display is the size ...