Not Really A CES Theme: Very Large Flat Panel TVs

Most manufacturers showed lines that that commercially topped out at 55" or so. Sure, there we plenty of 80" and 108" demos, but these aren't generally consumer products. That said, we saw a few exceptions.

 
Sony did show a 70" LCD, but look at the $33k price:
 
SONY UNVEILS 70-INCH BRAVIA LCD; WORLD’S LARGEST HDTV COMPLIANT WITH x.v.Color
   
Technology Establishes New Standard for Color Reproduction

LAS VEGAS (CES Booth #14200), Jan. 7, 2007 – Sony Electronics today introduced a 70-inch flat-panel, high-definition LCD television, the world’s largest TV compliant with x.v.Color™ technology here at the International Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas.

The new BRAVIA™ KDL-70XBR3 model is now available for pre-order at select Sony Style stores and select authorized retail outlets including Video Audio Center, Home Theater Store, ABT Electronics, Little Guys, Myer-Emco, Bjorn’s, and Listen Up.

It has the largest screen size in Sony’s market-leading BRAVIA LCD line.  The new extends the boundaries of picture quality due to a combination of full HD 1920 x 1080 progressive resolution and Motionflow™ 120 Hz technology with motion compensation, as well as a 10-bit panel and Triluminos™ LED backlight.

Image quality is enhanced further with the new xvYCC technology, which Sony has branded x.v.Color.  This technology was established as an industry standard by the International Electronics Commission in January of 2006.

The standard expands the current color data range of video by approximately 1.8 times (based on the “Munsell Color Cascade” a universal color chart defining the colors of natural objects and is used to evaluate color expression capability of displays).  The result is the television’s ability to display more natural and vivid colors similar to what the human eye can actually see.

In addition to the x.v.Color compatible television, Sony also introduced four new high-definition Handycam® camcorders here at CES that also feature this new technology.

With today’s debut of the 70-inch BRAVIA LCD set, Sony’s line of flat panel televisions now encompasses screen sizes of 70, 52, 46, 40, 32, 26 and 23 inches.

The new 70-inch model also features a new 10-bit panel which allows for an increase in the television’s gradation level by 64 times from 8-bit panels.  Additionally, Sony’s new Motionflow 120Hz motion compensation technology creates 60 unique frames between each of the existing 60 frames, doubling the frames displayed per second, effectively eliminating image blurring and motion artifacts like “judder.”

It features wide 178-degree viewing angle as well as the BRAVIA Engine Pro circuitry with Digital Reality Creation-MultiFunction v2.5 and Advanced Contrast Enhancer (ACE) helping to deliver a dynamic contrast ratio of 7000:1.

The set includes three HDMI inputs and a PC input which are 1080p compatible, as well as two high-definition component inputs.  It also features an elegant piano black floating glass design, which is featured on other XBR3 models.

“The BRAVIA KDL-70XBR3 is the result of tireless innovation and unmatched engineering,” said Philip Abram, vice president of marketing for Sony’s television group in the United States.

It will ship this Februaryfor about $33,000 and be available at Sony Style stores, sonystyle.com and authorized Sony retailers throughout the country.
 
Sharp showed a 65" LCD TV at a much more reasonable $4500 price, along with an 82" display:


AQUOS HDTV E Series (models LC-65E77U, LC-52E77U, LC-46E77U, LC-40E77U, LC-40E67U, LC-32E67U)

The new widescreen series of Full HD1080p HDTV AQUOS LCD TVs, including the E77U models and the E67U models, rounds out a lineup of new Full HD 1080p LCD TVs that bring enhanced picture quality to the forefront. The E Series features the E77U models in 65- (64 33/64" diagonal), 52- (52 1/32" diagonal), 46- (45 63/64" diagonal) and 40-inch (TBD diagonal) screen class sizes (LC-65E77U, LC-52E77U, LC-46E77U and LC-40E77U respectively), and the E67U models in 40- (TBD diagonal) and 32-inch (31 35/64" diagonal) screen class sizes (LC-40E67U and LC-32E67U respectively). The E77 models feature Sharp’s new 10-bit Superlucent Advanced Super View (ASV) panel for a dramatically bright and crisp picture with reduced haze and reflectivity. These models also include Fine Motion Enhanced technology for 120 Hz Frame Rate Conversion and a special dejudder feature that helps eliminate background motion artifacts on Blu-ray movies, fast pixel response time of 4 ms, and wide viewing angles of 176 degrees, so users can view the television from virtually anywhere in the room. Additionally, these units include five HDMI™ inputs and two HD component terminals, all of which are compatible with 1080p signals from Blu-ray and other new devices, in addition to RS-232C for custom installations and a dedicated PC input. The new 1080p E67 models incorporate Sharp’s Superlucent ASV technology, providing the most detailed Full HD 1080p picture possible. Additionally, these models come fully equipped with four HDMI™ inputs with 24p input capability and two component video inputs, all 1080p compatible. The LC-32E67U adds Sharp’s Vyper Drive technology for video game enthusiasts. This feature reduces the lag time between the game console input and the TV display to imperceptible levels. The full E series is compliant with the most recent ENERGY STAR® standards and also offers energy savings through Sharp’s OPC function, to automatically adjust the unit’s brightness based on the lighting of the room. The models offer a new design, with a black cabinet that gives way to a soft gold hue that accents the bottom of the E77 series frame, and a subtle copper hue at the bottom of the E67 cabinet. The LC-65E77U will be available in June for an MSRP of $4,499.99. The LC-52E77U, LC-46E77U and LC-32E67U will be available in February for MSRPs of $2,399.99, $2,099.99 and $899.99 respectively. The LC-40E77U and LC-40E67U will be available in March for MSRPs of $1,399.99 and $1,199.99.


82-inch Screen Size Class High-Definition LCD
Sharp announces the world’s first 82-inch class Full-HD 1080p LCD Monitor, expanding the company’s extensive range of flat-panel Liquid Crystal Display (LCD) screen sizes. The LC-82MX1U was designed for the true home theater enthusiast and features the next generation of Sharp’s proprietary 10-bit Advanced Super View (ASV) / Black TFT Panel, which provides deep blacks and crisp picture quality. This new size category was developed at Sharp’s 8th generation Kameyama Plant No. 2 to fill the space between the 65- (64-17/32" diagonal) and 108-inch (107.5” diagonal) screen classes. The LC-82MX1U features Fine Motion Enhanced technology for 120Hz Frame Rate Conversion and a fast pixel response time of 4ms, ensuring smooth, flowing motion in fast-action scenes and an overall immersive experience. With Sharp’s 10-bit ASV / Black TFT Panel, the display offers Spectral Contrast Engine XD (Extreme Dark), providing high Dynamic Contrast for deep blacks and crisp picture quality. This large-screen model also includes an array of connection options, including HDMI™ and DVI-I connectors, for greater connectivity with a wide variety of equipment and devices.