EISA is back and has awarded the best product in their respective categories. See which products have received EISA’s 2011-2012 Awards in categories such as “Best plasma TV”, “Best LCD-TV” and “Best 3DTV”.

EISA Awards 2011-2012

EISA is short for European Imaging and Sound Association and each year EISA Awards are awarded to the best products in their respective categories. EISA Awards are part of the huge IFA show and the products will receive recognition on the floors. IFA 2011 starts September 2 and the press meeting start in end-August. FlatpanelsHD will be there.

Below you can see the most relevant EISA Awards along with EISA’s own description.

TVs

See the EISA TV Awards 2011-2012 below. EISA has awarded TVs in categories such as Best plasma TV, Best LCD-TV, Best 3DTV, Best Buy TV and more.

European Plasma TV 2011-2012 – Panasonic TX-P50VT30

This top of the range Plasma brings a whole host of technologies together to offer breathtaking picture quality for 2D and 3D viewing. Customers are treated to stunning black level, striking contrast and realistic colours. Fast movements manage to look smooth and sharp simultaneously, while the VIERA Connect network features offer a comprehensive range of the latest web-based services. A built-in subwoofer ensures that audio is very rich and convincing. Digital programme material can be recorded to SD card, HDD or flash disc and a wide range of multimedia codecs can be played back via the USB port. Panasonic VIERA TX-P50VT30 delivers TV and movie entertainment at its best!

European 3D TV 2011-2012 – Philips 46PFL9706

Philips takes a giant step forward with the sleek 46PFL9706 promoting it to the position of the best 3D television on the market today. Left to right image crosstalk, an annoying characteristic with active 3D, is reduced to a level you hardly notice anymore and you can adjust the depth of a native 3D picture in detail. Image quality is improved to the highest possible level without losing the natural look and finally you can carry out ISF calibration. Irritating screen reflection is dramatically reduced with the application of an effective ‘Moth Eye’ filter and black is real black without loss of detail. As always, movement compensation is best in class - what’s more, the price is really attractive for such a top set.

European Best Buy TV 2011-2012 – Samsung 40D6505

The Samsung UE40D6500 offers best in class features, quality and design at a stunning price. The edge LED TV incorporates 3D, DLNA-connectivity and is prepared for WLAN. Smart TV functionality offers access to a whole new world of online entertainment and useful applications like Skype and social media services. The picture quality is very good for this class of product whether viewing in 2D or 3D. LED technology means the TV is slim and keeps power consumption to an absolute minimum - extremely important for the environmentally conscious customer. Additional fun and convenience is provided with the ability to control TV features from Apple and Android devices. The Samsung UE40D6500 has DVB-T, DVB-C and DVB-S tuners built-in making additional set top boxes obsolete.

European 3D Home Theater Solution 2011-2012 – LG 55LW650S + HLX56S

This year EISA has paired two LG products together which we believe complement each other and create a market beating Home Theater combination. The LG 55LW650S uses passive 3D technology. This brings immediate benefits as unlike its active counterpart, the glasses are lightweight, relatively cheap and do not require batteries making this the best way to share 3D movies or sports coverage with large groups of family or friends. But convenience is not the only reason to choose the 55LW650S. 3D pictures are reproduced in a very natural way, with negligible crosstalk and can be viewed without causing any eye fatigue and results from watching normal Blu-ray movies and TV contents are also of a very high standard. Set-up is extremely simple and when combined with LGs HLX56S soundbar with integrated Blu-Ray player and wireless subwoofer, it delivers powerful multichannel sound. Good connectivity, including LG Smart TV services, completes the reasons for its success in this year’s awards.

European AV-Streaming TV 2011-2012 – Loewe Individual 46 Compose 3D

The brand new Loewe “Individual 46 Compose 3D” delivers stunning pictures and sound while providing lots of connectivity options. An internal DR+ 500 GB hard disc will record, store and stream all broadcast content to any room in your house, even if it is in 3D. Any recorded video can be streamed via LAN, WLAN or Powerline and users can easily enjoy broadcast content on other Loewe displays with their unique “Follow-me” feature - Start watching a TV programme in the living room, pause whenever you want and resume watching in the bedroom with a click on a remote-button. Loewe Individual 46 Compose 3D is the easiest and most flexible way, to enjoy multimedia all around your house. It is also desperately elegant and stylish and perfectly crafted as well.

European LCD-TV 2011-2012 – Sony Bravia 55HX920

This beautiful piece of furniture looks good even when the set is turned off and is clearly designed to fit into the modern hi-tech home. The perfect viewing angle is easily achieved by simply tilting the set. Black level is as deep as can be without losing small details in the black, important for enjoying full-scale gradation in dark movie scenes whilst ‘out of the box’ the colours are well calibrated. Among an impressive set of ‘features’ you’ll find an old friend: Super Bit Mapping (SBM), introduced by Sony to improve the standard 16 bit CD quality. With Super Bit Mapping Video (SBMV), as used in this TV-set, the standard 8 bit video is processed with 14 bits with a visibly better colour gradation as a direct result. Faces especially benefit from this. Finally, you get 3D capability for free.

European Blu-ray Player 2011-2012 – Sony BDP-S780

As the first Sony Blu-ray player to benefit from an all-Sony chipset, the BDP-S780 succeeds in offering a new level of performance at this entry-level price. Its superb picture performance is aided in no small measure by Sony’s proprietary ‘image engine’ while the viewing experience is enhanced with access to an on-line Entertainment Database Browser. The player even converts 2D movies to 3D and features DLNA streaming via both wired and wireless networks. Fast loading times are a given, even with Java-heavy BDs, while the same transport also plays CD and SACD music discs. Skype-ready and equipped with a basic, in-built web browser, the BDP-S780 opens up a new world of entertainment in your home.

European Video Projector 2011-2012 – JVC DLA-X7

To get fully immersed in the 3D realm you need a big picture and JVC’s DLA-X7 does this with room to spare! This D-ILA projector is one of the first to achieve THX 3D certification, boasting a 70,000:1 native contrast and substantial 1300 ANSI Lumens brightness. Because JVC has designed this projector for use with active shutter 3D glasses, this allows the DLA-X7 to be used with a far wider choice of screen types than might otherwise have been the case. Other key technologies include a custom on-screen gamma control and 7-axis Colour Management System, ensuring very accurate calibration, and a video processor for smooth rendering of all types of video material. All-in-all it delivers an eyeball-popping 2D/3D experience.

European Green TV 2011-2012 - Philips 42PFL6806

In its quest for energy efficiency, the Philips 46PFL6806 reaches a power consumption of just 56 Watts in standard-mode, outperforming the direct competition. Chemical analyses of the PCB’s by SIMS Mirec Recycling Solutions, the world’s largest electrical and electronics recovery and recycling company, proved that the Philips 46PFL6806 is less of a burden on the environment than other TV’s. The holistic approach to eco-design from last year’s winner is surely not met, but the more affordable Philips 46PFL6806 clearly succeeds in implementing some radical steps from last year into a more ‘general’ design.

Speaker systems

EISA has awarded the best audio products below.

European Loudspeaker 2011-2012 – JBL Studio 190

Striking from the first glance, JBL’s ‘Weave’ design ensures its Studio 190 floorstander will stand out from the crowd. This three-way loudspeaker, which includes a pair of 165mm bass units, sounds powerful, dynamic and detailed, offering a great insight into all types of music – including movie scores. Crucially, while the Studio 190 has an exotic appearance, it remains easy to drive and is the ideal partner for a great many entry-level amplifiers and AV receivers. So much loudspeaker, so small a price tag – how does JBL do it?

European Audio Design 2011-2012 - Dali Fazon F5

If you think all hi-fi loudspeakers are built into rectangular wooden boxes, then DALI makes us all think again with its stylish FAZON F5. Rather than use orthodox materials, DALI, the Danish speaker specialist, has worked with die-cast aluminium to achieve a highly novel and elegant loudspeaker shape. Not only conceived to be pleasing to the eye, its curved cabinet is also ideal for minimizing internal reflections while offering great rigidity. Not just a pretty face, the FAZON F5 also benefits from DALI’s tried-and-tested wood-fibre cones and light silk dome tweeter. Available in high gloss red, black and white, this 86cm-tall sculpture comes with a purpose-built stand that allows your cables to be hidden from sight.

European Sound Station 2011-2012 – B&W Zeppelin Air

Don’t be fooled by the familiar Zeppelin profile – Bowers & Wilkins’s new ‘Air’ version boasts improved sound quality and enhanced flexibility. Inside its radical enclosure are five new loudspeaker drivers – one woofer, two midrange and two treble units – each with its own DSP-controlled Class D amplifier. As you might guess from the name, the new Zeppelin also contains an Apple AirPlay wireless streaming receiver that will play music directly from your iTunes library. Moreover the central dock now makes a digital connection with your iPhone, iPod and iPad devices to replay your music with even higher fidelity.

European HT Universal Player 2011-2012 – Cambridge Audio Azur 751BD

Look once, look twice. You are not mistaken, for the Cambridge 751BD universal player really does provide a one-stop platform to play all CD, DVD, SACD, DVD-A and Blu-ray discs, including 3D, for just €1300. Its core processor will decode all Dolby and DTS HD audio formats while a separate Marvell QDEO scaler delivers exceptionally high quality picture performance through its primary HDMI output. The 751BD is also replete with added connectivity. There’s a Wi-Fi dongle included and wired Ethernet port to support interactive services via the internet plus an eSata connection for playing HD audio and video content, including FLAC and MKV files, from an external hard drive. The proprietary 7.1 channel audio stage is a development of the tried-and-tested circuit employed in Cambridge’s 6-series CD players, promising superb sounds to match those excellent pictures.

European 5.1 Loudspeaker System 2011-2012 – KEF T205

In the race to produce the slimmest home theatre loudspeakers, KEF is on the winners podium with its black T-series satellites that are a mere 3.7cm deep. These are not lo-fi panel speakers but employ proprietary twin-layered drivers, rather like a conventional cone made very rigid and shallow. Designed to sound impressive whether hung on the wall or mounted on KEF’s floorstands, the satellites and partnering subwoofer are smoothly integrated into a cohesive system with little adjustment required on the part of the user. The subwoofer employs a 250W Class D amplifier, its elegant profile also optimized for use close to a rear or side wall. KEF’s T205 speaker system is a skinny latte that’s big on flavour.

European HT 5.1 System 2011-2012 – LG HX966TZ/TZW

Looking for a distinctive and elegant home theatre package that won’t break the bank? Then LG’s HX966TZ 3D Blu-ray system with its 5.1 channels of audio, easy connectivity and, in TZW guise, wireless rear speakers could be just the ticket. LG’s central unit offers Smart TVaccess, enabling you to view content from the web, download apps, stay in contact with your friends on social networks, check the weather forecast or play games. It also incorporates Wi-Fi Direct, for easy wireless connection, a USB input that supports NTFS hard drives and an iPhone/iPod dock. In a market full of complex home theatre solutions, LG’s HX966TZ offers a genuinely user-friendly surround experience.

European Network Music Player 2011-2012 – Musical Fidelity M1 Clic

What is the CLiC? To describe it as a digital preamp or a streamer does not do it full justice. Better to think of it as a comprehensive unit which funnels internet radio and music files from a variety of sources – including wired and wireless networks and USB sticks, CD players and even analogue sources. At its core, the CLiC uses the company’s M1 24-bit/192kHz DAC, and there’s a large clear colour display to help navigate its menus. It boasts a total of seven digital inputs – iPod/iPhone/iPad, a network connection, front and back USB, two coaxial and one optical from which it delivers a wonderfully open and dynamic sound that’s lively, communicative and punches well above its weight.

European HT Receiver – Pioneer VSX-921

In the modern home theatre environment, features and connectivity are as important as sound and picture performance. The Pioneer VSX-921 excels in all these areas. It combines four 3D-compliant HDMI inputs with DLNA streaming of HD audio files over a wired network, internet radio and wireless music streaming via AirPlay. Under the bonnet there a total of seven discrete amplifiers with sufficient power to drive the vast majority of home theatre systems. Pioneer’s familiar MCACC room correction regime is included, with the added flexibility of further fine-tuning via a PC application over the network. Last but not least, Pioneer’s new AirJam iPad app offers an interactive way for friends to fill the party with music.

EISA Awards 2011-2012

EISA also awarded products in the categories such as In-car Electronics, Photo, Mobile Devices and Green. Here we find Acer’s tablet, and Canon & Nikon cameras.

Find all EISA Awards at www.eisa.eu.

What do you think? Is EISA right?