Gateway Launches Flat-Screen TVs

Gateway is growing its line of flat-panel TVs, unveiling its first LCD TVs along with two new plasma models.

The product launches this week are part of a new emphasis on consumer electronics by the company that made its name selling PCs by mail order and the Web, shipping them in black-and-white cowhide-inspired boxes.

Gateway has said it will launch 50 new products in 15 categories this year. Although it already markets a plasma TV, Gateway is making its debut into the expanding field of LCD TVs.

New Plasma Entries

Gateway entered the plasma TV market late last year. The company introduced a 42-inch plasma TV at the unprecedented price of $3000. But the screen's relatively low resolution--852 by 480--can't support a true HDTV image, which requires at least 1280 by 720 resolution.

One of the two new plasma models does support 720p-format HDTV. The 50-inch, 1366-by-788 model becomes available on July 24 priced at $6999. The other new plasma unit is a 46-inch 852-by-480 model that, like Gateway's 42-inch unit, can accept HDTV input but can't deliver a true HDTV image (Gateway calls it an Enhanced-Definition TV, or EDTV). The 46-inch model is due to ship on July 25 priced at $3799.

LCDs With Options

Gateway is entering the LCD TV market with two models. One has an 18-inch screen, and the other has a 17-inch screen. Both have built-in speakers and handles for easy transport.

The LCD-TV with an 18-inch screen has a resolution of 1024 by 768. It offers a wide variety of video inputs, including S-Video, TV/CATV, composite, and component, and can also be used as an analog PC display. The unit is available now for $899.

The 17-inch model has a 1280-by-768 screen, and so, unlike the 18-inch model, it can display a movie in 16:9 letterbox format. It also offers a higher contrast ratio (600:1 versus 350:1 on the 18-incher). The unit takes both analog and digital (DVI) PC input, as well as TV/CATV, S-Video, and composite (but not component) inputs. It's slated to ship in August priced at $799.