80% of Consumers Pick Passive Glasses for 3D – LG Electronics had a study done in May by market research firm Morpace of an unrevealed number of consumers, measuring LG’s Cinema 3D HD LCD TV with passive glasses against the active-shutter glasses used on 3D HD LCD TVs from Sony and Samsung. It showed that 80% of the consumers tested preferred their 3DTV experience wearing passive glasses over the more established, heavier and more expensive active-shutter glasses for 3D. In the live controlled test, respondents saw four 3DTVs displaying the same 3D content and were asked to rate their experience with each. The TVs, questionnaire and glasses were all de-branded to ensure that brand perceptions had no impact on the results. LG continues to market plasma 3DTVs using active-shutter glasses, but decided not to introduce a range of 3D LCD TVs using active-shutter glasses, focusing instead on its new Film Pattern Retarded (FPR) passive glasses technology, which uses the same sort of polarized glasses as handed out in 3D theatrical showings, plus a proprietary film covering the display. LG says a benefit of the passive glasses, aside from the lower cost, is that they give viewers a greater 3D effect without the flicker of active-shutter glasses, while minimizing cross-talk. Children are inclined to break the 3D shutter glasses, which can become expensive to replace.
National Endowment for the Arts Announces 2012 Jazz Masters – This is the 30th anniversary of the highest honor in jazz. The new NEA Jazz Masters are: Jack DeJohnette, drums; Von Freeman, sax; Charlie Haden, bassist; Sheila Jordan, vocalist & educator; Jimmy Owens, trumpeter, composer, arranger & educator. Full profiles of the winners are at the NEA website.
Price Increases in LCD Panels Coming – A research firm says there will be current price increases in large-format LCD panels. Supply disruptions related to the Japan disaster are one of the causes. Consumer demand for major products using LCD panels remains weak in the U.S. and Europe. Despite this, panel buyers are replenishing their stockpiles in order to build buffer inventory, and this drives up panel pricing. Some major brands continue to report high channel inventory. Demand for the 15.6-inch panels has slowed in U.S. and European markets, but the 14-inch size is in demand in China and the rest of Asia. An analyst said the price increases will have to be accepted, especially for the new light-emitting diode technology (LED), which is replacing the older backlit technology (CCFL).
Tchaikovsky Competition Conflicts – Things have been bumpy at this year’s Tchaikovsky Competition in Moscow. Judges Vladimir Ashkenazy and Feruccio Furlanetto withdrew at the last minute, audiences scolded the jury for “wrong” decisions, and conductor Mark Gorenstein was nasty with an Armenian cellist (who ultimately took a gold medal) – the rehearsal kerkuffle is now among YouTube’s most-watched videos.
Salzburg Festival Under Fire – The President of the Salzburg Festival called court demands of the summer festival – to begin soon – “mean-spirited.” The Court of Audit has demanded internal structural reform and tighter control over complimentary tickets for its sponsors, and also suggested federal support for the musical event needs revision.
