LAS VEGAS -- In one of the most unusual product combinations, Epson America has rolled out a big-screen LCD projection TV with a built-in color photo printer.
Epson's Livingstation HDTV LCD projection televisions are the company's first forays into the world of big-screen TVs. Both are scheduled to ship in March. The 47-inch Epson Livingstation LS47P1 will carry an estimated retail price of $3499 and the 57-inch Livingstation LS57P1, $3999.
TVs' Unique Features
Epson, best known for its printers, apparently couldn't resist including built-in dye-sublimation photo printers in the two TVs, which can produce 4-by-6-inch borderless prints. Both TVs also include a CD-R/RW drive and slots for popular memory cards, including SD, MMC, Memory Stick, CompactFlash, and SmartMedia.
The TVs have another intriguing feature: a "Freeze Image" capability that lets users freeze video, live TV, or other digital images and then print them from the built-in printer.
Both televisions offer 1280 by 720 native resolution, a 16:9 native aspect ratio, and 800:1 contrast ratios. They come equipped with two tuners for side-by-side split screens, and claim a 130-degree horizontal viewing angle and 49-degree vertical viewing angle. Both screens have built-in stereo speakers.
Like most modern projection TVs, the Livingstations have relatively thin profiles. The 47-inch model measures 14.9 inches deep, while the 57-incher is 16.3 inches thick. Weight, which is often a factor for consumers venturing into this area, is about average for TVs of this class. The 47-incher weighs 106 pounds and the 57-inch model, 124 pounds.
TV Photos for Families
Epson clearly believes potential buyers will be attracted by the ability to view, print, and archive their digital photos in their living room. The TV-printer combo devices support Epson's proprietary Photo On Demand capability, so users can do all of these activities with a remote control.
The company claims its Photo On Demand technology is a first, because it enables people to view, print, and store their digital photos directly from the TV without the need for a PC. They can use the program to manage digital photos from the living room, "making digital photography a social experience," according to a company spokesperson.
Epson says the Livingstation products will support numerous additional devices, including DVI-based set-top boxes, progressive-scan DVD players, HDTV tuners, camcorders, video games, and even PCs. Its picture-on-picture feature gives viewers options for viewing their favorite programs, while the channel-zapping feature enables them to see seven smaller windows simultaneously to explore many programs as still pictures.
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