Hot New TVs for the Fall

Samsung has begun selling a 70-inch, LED-backlit LCD TV with a 500,000-to-1 contrast ratio--for $40,000! I don't know that I've ever conceived of a TV that requires a mortgage. The only other Samsung TV that's remotely new is a smaller version of that model: the LN-T4081F, shown in photo, which goes for only $2999. You're paying at least a grand extra over the price of a regular old LCD TV for the LED backlighting, which is supposed to produce a better contrast (of course).

Toshiba showed new LCD sets that have what it claims is the world's thinnest bezel--0.9 inches. Toshiba reps said the REGZA Super Narrow Bezel (SNB) models would fit into smaller spaces than other sets--for example, Toshiba's 40-inch model fits into the space of a standard Toshiba 37-inch set (which measures 37.7 inches wide). Still not sure whether it'll fit your armoire? Go to a Toshiba dealer, where you can pick up a brochure that's the exact width of the TV; take the brochure home and try it out. The 40-inch 40RF350U shown in the photo will cost $1900, and the 46-inch 46RF350U will cost $2500; both should be available this month.

Panasonic had a couple of new 1080p plasma sets to show off, including an $1800, 42-inch set (the TH-42PZ77) and a $2800, 50-inch set (the TH-50PZ77). PCW has just completed testing of Panasonic's first 1080p plasma set as part of a large roundup review of 40- and 42-inch TVs; you'll be able read the review of it in a couple of weeks. All the models in this line have SD Card slots that will let you play AVCHD footage (ideally, from Panasonic's point of view, from your Panasonic HD camcorder).

Mitsubishi said that its newest LCD sets have an even narrower bezel than the Toshiba shown in slide 3, but the metric system may be contradicting that claim. The rep I spoke to said its UltraThin Frame is 24mm wide, which, according to Google's calculation, equals 0.94488189 inches--slightly more than the 0.9 inches claimed by Toshiba. Nevertheless, its 40-inch model will fit into a 37-inch-wide space, which is indeed narrower than Toshiba's set. The 40-inch LT-40133 goes for $2499, and the 52-inch LT-52244, shown in the photo, goes for $5299.

JVC introduced new sets with the company's second generation of 120-Hz refresh technology, called Clear Motion Drive II. Sets that have 120-Hz refresh rates--double the conventional rate of 60 Hz--insert an interpolated frame in between the as-shot frames to reduce blurring in moving images. JVC said the sets sample 4000 pixels in the previous frame and 4000 pixels from the following frame to generate a single pixel in the interpolated image. JVC showed one of the new sets alongside 120-Hz sets from Sony and Toshiba, and the JVC set did indeed show less image ghosting--but that certainly wasn't an objective test. The sets include a 37-inch model, the $2100 LT-37X898; a 42-inch model, the $2600 LT-42X898; and a 47-inch model, the $3300 LT-47X898 (shown in the photo). They will go on sale this month.

Sharp didn't say anything about thin bezels, but it did want to talk about how the flat panels on its new D64U series are 25 percent flatter than panels on preceding models, and yes indeed, they looked pretty thin, though the earlier models didn't seem objectionably thick. These 1080p models just started shipping; 42-, 46-, and 52-inch models cost $2000, $2700, and $3800, respectively. The one pictured above is the 42LBX.

LG Electronics began shipping new 1080p LCDs, the Opus LBX series. These sets have 120-Hz refresh rates (like many of the sets I saw at CEDIA), offer an expert mode for color calibration, and come in three screen sizes: 42, 47, and 52 inches. They cost $2499, $3299, and $4499, respectively; that makes them pretty pricey compared to some of the other sets I saw, but LG says these are its high-end models.

HP introduced new MediaSmart TVs, which can display content from networked PCs, hard drives, or an HP MediaSmart server over an ethernet or Wi-Fi a/g/b/n connection. They also let you browse CinemaNow and buy movies from the TV (last year's models made you go to your PC to do that). The onboard interface looks a bit nicer (3D icons instead of 2D) but the MediaSmart TVs, which draw on Windows Media Player and its built-in server, won't play or display protected iTunes content. That's because the TV isn't actually a PC, so you can't authorize it as a legitimate user. Beyond that, the TV is nearly identical to other HP models. You'll pay an extra $1000 or so for the smarts in the MediaSmarts.

Sony had no new sets to show (the picture here is of the 40-inch KDL-40W3000 we've just completed testing for our upcoming roundup). But I found it amusing that Randy Waynick, senior vice president of Sony's home products division, said at the company's press conference that Sony "wants to be different from the mass commoditization that's happening today." He was alluding to the serious price pressure brought to bear by brands like Vizio (see the next, last picture).

Along the same lines, Scott Ramirez, Toshiba vice president of group marketing for TVs, spoke at length at Toshiba's press conference about profit margins, and the fact that Toshiba sets would gain retailers more money than they would from manufacturers like Westinghouse. And JVC reps made a point of saying that it would not permit online sales of at least some of its products. All of that seems like something of a losing battle; Vizio has become the top seller of LCD TVs by cutting into the big brands' market share with cut-rate prices. Speaking of which, here's the Vizio GV42 we're testing for our roundup. The company didn't announce any new sets at CEDIA; it didn't even exhibit at CEDIA. While Sony was rolling out a $100 million marketing campaign, Vizio was saving its pennies.