Slashdot Mirror


TV Set Doubles as a Mirror

Bill Kendrick writes "New Scientist reports there's a new wide-screen LCD from Philips which becomes a mirror when you turn it off. Now I just need that holographic fireplace..." Sorry - a dupe from June

48 of 229 comments (clear)

  1. Believe me by SYFer · · Score: 5, Insightful

    It's a mirror even when its on.

    --
    "...all the labours of the ages, all the devotion, all the inspiration, all the noonday brightness..." yada yada
    1. Re:Believe me by SphericalCrusher · · Score: 4, Funny

      That would be OBNOXIOUS!

      If I want to watch my Star Wars, I want to do so without seeing me and my girlfriend in the screen...

      --
      "Instant gratification takes too long." - Carrie Fisher
    2. Re:Believe me by Michael+Woodhams · · Score: 5, Insightful

      I believe you.

      When I read the summary, I thought "Is this anything more clever than just a semi-reflective coat on a flat TV screen?" The answer is "no".

      This means:
      a) With one of these, all those annoying reflections you get off your TV screen already get hugely worse.
      b) You could get much the same effect much cheaper by putting a standard sheet of semi-reflective glass in front of your standard TV.

      --
      Quattuor res in hoc mundo sanctae sunt: libri, liberi, libertas et liberalitas.
    3. Re:Believe me by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Funny

      Yes, some things are just way more scary than Java the Hut.

    4. Re:Believe me by Jeremi · · Score: 5, Funny
      Yes, some things are just way more scary than Java the Hut.


      Like what? C# the Hut?

      --


      I don't care if it's 90,000 hectares. That lake was not my doing.
    5. Re:Believe me by niker · · Score: 5, Interesting

      A picture's worth a thousand words: clicky

      Beneath the woman's neck on the screen you'll find a couple of massive reflections from the ceiling interfering with the picture.

      Being a "promotional" picture, the actual experience with this screen is probably worse than that illustrated.

      --
      Moderators: Don't agree? pray tell why.
    6. Re:Believe me by aled · · Score: 5, Funny

      That character from Episode 1.0 is scary, you know, .jar .jar /bin

      --

      "I think this line is mostly filler"
  2. great by webperf · · Score: 5, Funny

    now I need to comb my hair before I watch tv ;(

    1. Re:great by Decaffeinated+Jedi · · Score: 4, Funny

      You'd better comb your hair. What they're not telling you is that it's a two-way mirror. Philips is watching us, man. ;)

      --
      DecafJedi
      my weblog: apropos of something
    2. Re:great by MikeXpop · · Score: 4, Funny

      In Soviet Russia, television watches YOU!

      --
      Etiquette is etiquette. He kills his mother but he can't wear grey trousers.
    3. Re:great by The+Munger · · Score: 4, Interesting

      Philips is watching us, man.

      Some people think you're right. Does anyone remember this incident? If I remember correctly he believed that the black bands displayed when watching widescreen movies in 4:3 aspect ratio were being used to send hidden messages.

      --
      Refuse to make a statement in your sig!
  3. yeah by g-to-the-o-to-the-g · · Score: 5, Funny

    Now i can check my hair between commercials. Thanks philips!

    1. Re:yeah by mobby_6kl · · Score: 5, Funny

      >between commercials

      You only turn on your TV to watch commercials? ;)

  4. Ohh this is sexy by Organized+Konfusion · · Score: 5, Funny

    I'd love on in my bathroom, I wonder if I can have alpha transparency and watch TV while I'm shaving. Or hook it up to the TV-Out on my PC and read slashdot while I'm in the bath!!

    1. Re:Ohh this is sexy by Hentai · · Score: 5, Funny

      "Hail Skroob!"

      "I told you never to call me on this wall!"

      --
      -Hentai [in vita non pacem est]
  5. How about by 77Punker · · Score: 4, Funny

    a TV that displays pictures of handsome people and claims it's a mirror to make me feel good inside?

  6. A messedge board also... by RoadkillBunny · · Score: 5, Funny

    I use my TV also as a message board. When I go somewhere and want people to know where I am, I just write a message on a paper, turn the TV on, put the paper on it, and turn the TV off. It sticks on for some reason, does anyone know why?

    --
    Cheers,
    RoadkillBunny
    1. Re:A messedge board also... by jo_ham · · Score: 4, Informative

      Further to the answers already here, static electricity is indeed why the paper sticks.

      The reason that your screen charges up is because at the back of your set there's a bloody great electron gun (three if you have a colour TV) firing countless electrons at the back of the screen, which are deflected with a magnetic field in a neat pattern that creates the image.

      Electrons are negatively charged and over time they cause a charge to build up on the screen.

      As an offtopic point, the electrons hit the phosphors on the screen, or pass very close to them which causes them to glow, which is how a TV works. The electrons already present in the phosphor atoms change energy states, which releases light of a characteristic colour (either red, green or blue in the case of a TV).

  7. I can just see it... by MrPower · · Score: 4, Funny

    After years searching, the slashdotter brings their first girlfriend home only to have her scream, "I'm leaving you PERVERT!"

    "But it's my TV, honest..."

  8. Great.. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    So now your SO will not only be able to talk a movie to death, she'll also be tempted to turn the TV off to check her hair/teeth/whatever.

  9. Mirror Site by nucal · · Score: 5, Funny

    Mirror posted here.

    1. Re:Mirror Site by LostCluster · · Score: 4, Funny

      Actually, the mirror is posted here.

      I mean, the mirror showing a picture is posted here.

      Maybe I should say it's a picture of the mirror showing showing a picture here.

      Whatever, just click here and see for yourself...

  10. More TV... Just what we need.. by Rip+Van+Winkle · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Great... Just great... TVs in more rooms of the house.

    How many TVs do we actually need in the house? It isn't enough that we get 100+ channels of absolute garbage but we have to display it in every single room in the house. Just in case I miss 1 minute of re-runs of re-runs of MASH.

    You have to wonder what effect all this TV watching has on the children's attention span.

    --

    Disclaimer: The opinions expressed are not the responsiblity of the user, as I probably stole them anyway
    1. Re:More TV... Just what we need.. by Azadre · · Score: 5, Funny

      You'd be surprised at how it has improved my attentio... Hey this thing is a TV AND a mirror... cool.

    2. Re:More TV... Just what we need.. by .com+b4+.storm · · Score: 4, Funny

      I grew up in a household that made heavy use of TV in pretty much every room of the house. It didn't affect my atten

      --
      "Wow, you're like some kind of superhero able to ward off happiness and success at every turn."
      -- Ryan Stiles
  11. Re:This is one of those things that make you think by MrRTFM · · Score: 5, Insightful

    well - because they can I suppose.

    It isnt a bad idea to use the TV as *something* when its turned off, but I'd have thought a mirror would be at the wrong height (you dont want to sit down to look in the mirror).

    I'd personally prefer a high res screen saver

    --
    You can't expect to wield supreme executive power, just because some watery tart threw a sword at you
  12. Mirror, Mirror by Redwing · · Score: 5, Informative

    An duplicate story (from last June).

    http://slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=03/06/12/2226 20 1

    Perhaps if the editors paused for reflection...

    --
    Raisinettes are my raison d'etre
    1. Re:Mirror, Mirror by Rip+Van+Winkle · · Score: 4, Funny

      They Can't.... The editor hasn't bought his Philips Mirror TV yet!

      --

      Disclaimer: The opinions expressed are not the responsiblity of the user, as I probably stole them anyway
  13. Reflection is a problem! by microbox · · Score: 5, Insightful

    When the screen is switched on, anyone standing in front of it sees only the picture. With the television switched off, the surface behaves like an ordinary mirror.

    What about annoying background light reflecting off your screen while watching TV. Many enjoy watching TV in the dark because even the piece of glass on ordinary TVs is too reflective, and you can see a lightbulb on Darth Vader

    --

    Like all pain, suffering is a signal that something isn't right
    1. Re:Reflection is a problem! by Molt · · Score: 4, Funny

      That lightbulb was just CG'ed on in the Special Edition, you know. Damn that Lucas.

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      404 Not Found: No such file or resource as '.sig'
  14. Ewwww by rffmna · · Score: 5, Funny

    You watch the tv, look at all the hot chicks and muscle-guys, and you find a fat ugly guy lying on the couch, when you turn the tv off..

    --
    -------
    FM Clan
  15. Here's your holographic fireplace by adzoox · · Score: 4, Informative
    I just got one of these for my condo, it's pretty neat -

    www.dimplex.com

    They claim to have a patent on the holographic fireplace. I don't see why something like this couldn't be made.

    I also though of the recent "geek retro future" version of monster house where they made a a giant fireplace with stainless stell remote controlled opening doors and mounted a Plasma screen above it. Tres cool.

    --
    Yell & scream & rant & rave... it's no use... you need a shaaaave ~ Bugs Bunny
  16. Re:Oh, great. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Funny

    He's just saving up for the big post of the night which will be when LOTR wins the Oscar for Best Picture ...

  17. Re:This is one of those things that make you think by vontrotsky · · Score: 5, Insightful

    I like this. Don't think of it as something to replace a mirror, but at something to replace the tv. During the vast majority of the time, when the tv is off, you have a (hopefully) shiny mirror instead of an ugly piece of electronics on the wall.

    Jeff

  18. The sun will be angry by no1here · · Score: 5, Funny

    Philips just stole the very function of the sun to turn televisions into mirrors, and even when the TV is on. I wonder if she can bring a lawsuit against Philips if they have patented the invention. Though, how would the sun show prior art? Anyone have some documentation of the first time they saw themselves in the glare coming off the television?

  19. Redundant feature by Silon · · Score: 5, Funny

    Doesn't a regular TV do that if you wipe the dust off the screen regularly?

  20. To be put down and avoided by SlowMovingTarget · · Score: 5, Funny

    Doesn't TV add ten pounds to your appearance?

    I don't need an even stronger reason to never turn the TV off.

  21. Re:This is one of those things that make you think by dorlthed · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Why not? I think this is a great idea . . . people are going want this because when you turn it off, it actually becomes a part of the room's decor. Instead of just taking up space on the wall, it looks good and enhances the room, such that you wouldn't even know a TV was there.

    I'm sure it's not that important to an average Joe, but think about the people who can afford these screens. They're probably willing to spend some money on the appearance of their home. And when it does become affordable, I think people will like having a wall mirror more than they will a giant black rectangle. Personally, I'm kind of excited. It seems very sci-fi and futuristic: a giant mirror suddenly displays an image. Very cool.

  22. Video vs. Words by gad_zuki! · · Score: 4, Insightful

    >How is this any better for attention span than a TV?

    Because you have to sit down and read for x amount of time to get any meaningful information. As opposed to watching a four minute block of video and sound that changes camera angles every 4-8 seconds then 5 minutes of commercials, etc.

    When the internet becomes another television channel is when you can compare the two, but right now its still text-based and thus requires some patience and reading comprehension.

    Arguably, the internet is shifting us back towards a literate society as compared to an "entertain me" visual society that television tends to produce. Its hard to see the forest for the trees, but considering this is my third-year as a Tivo owner and fourth year broadband subscriber its easy to see how nasty TV is and how much of a saving grace the internet can be.

    Neil Postman wrote a great book on the downsides of television-based politics called Amusing Ourselves to Death. Its worth checking out for those interested in media criticism.

  23. Re:Picture in Picture? by danila · · Score: 4, Funny

    Absolutely. And with a little tweaking it should be possible to open Slashdot story in the main window, while RTFAing in the small one. Then may be people will stop asking questions which were clearly answered in the article.

    --
    Future Wiki -- If you don't think about the future, you cannot have one.
  24. WooHoo by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    So if you mount it above your bed you and your life partner could either watch a porno, or be the porno.

  25. Poker. by GNUALMAFUERTE · · Score: 4, Insightful

    hahahahahah, slashdot you kill me ..
    Anyone else is going to mod my post?
    I have recevied: Offtopic, Funny, Informative, and now, Overrated!!!!!!

    Ok, anyone willing to give me an Insightfull?

    --
    WTF am I doing replying to an AC at 5 A.M on a Friday night?
  26. Wow by roystgnr · · Score: 4, Funny

    Sorting by score first put your post at the top, and I was just starting to appreciate your cutting expression of the extent to which even the worst of today's television programming is a reflection of the sort of industry which creates it and the sort of society which demands it...

    And then I realized you just meant the screen would have a lot of glare. Man, that's disappointing.

  27. does not compute by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Funny

    Star Wars...girlfriend? what?

  28. Scary... by stateofmind · · Score: 5, Funny

    My luck I would be enjoying a porno, then turn off the tv. And in the reflection see my girlfriend standing behind me.

    Josh

  29. We've got a Bleeder! by Cordath · · Score: 4, Funny

    Actually, when you read the article it sounds like a better idea than you make it out to be... People can watch TV in the morning while brushing their teeth or shaving! What a great idea! Now I can watch the news and slice half my face of at the same time! Just imagine how much longer it's going to take your SO to finish up in the bathroom now!

    "Are you almost done dear?"
    "Shh. It's Oprah. I never floss during Oprah!"

    Joking aside, I can see these being heartily adopted by the hotel industry. Now they can offer you PPV pornos while you're on the toilet! Just imagine the potential for comdom adds in public washrooms...

  30. I'd rather Have... by reallocate · · Score: 4, Interesting

    ...a pocket mirror that's also a TV.

    --
    -- Slashdot: When Public Access TV Says "No"
  31. Any TV can be a "mirror" by tinrobot · · Score: 4, Funny

    Just plug any TV into a camera placed directly above the screen, then flop the image left to right.

    Instant mirror. No reflections.

    Plus, you can switch it off when you're feeling extra ugly.