Since their entry onto the television scene just a few short years ago, California-based TV manufacturer VIZIO has made a name for themselves as the leader in value-priced flat panel LCD and plasma HDTVs. Now it seems that VIZIO wants a piece of the higher end market as well with three new flat panel models (one plasma, two LCD) that should give the traditional television brands a run for their money.
The high performance “XVT” model line includes the 42-inch SV420XVT ($1499) and 47-inch SV470XVT ($1899) LCD TVs (available now) as well as the 50-inch VP505XVT ($1699) Full 1080p Plasma television (available in the early fall). The sets will be sold via warehouse stores such as Sam's Club and Costco, as well as select retail channels such as Circuit City and Sears. Final pricing may vary at each retailer. For example, Sears has both models for $300 below list (links below).
The LCD models feature full 1920x1080 (1080p) panels with 120 Hz “Smooth Motion” technology to reduce or eliminate the judder found on many LCD televisions as they attempt to reproduce fast-moving images. At a demo in Las Vegas in January, and again at a press event in New York this week, I was impressed by what I saw and hope to get a sample in for review in the near future. The LCD sets also feature improved sound via a three channel front speaker array and SRS Labs' TruSurround XT processing. An optional SV5.1 upgrade kit ($299) allows the customer to add wireless rear speakers and subwoofer for discrete 5.1-channel surround sound.
The VP505XVT plasma model will feature a Matsushita (Panasonic) plasma panel* and on-board processing courtesy of the Silicon Optix HQV chip. This should allow the set to do quite well when upconverting standard definition video sources to 1080p resolution. The plasma model features a speaker configuration and audio processing similar to the LCD models as well as compatibility with the SV5.1 upgrade kit for discrete wireless 5.1-channel surround sound. The VP505XVT features a 30,000:1 rated contrast ratio as well as 100,000 hour rated plasma lifespan (to half brightness).
Where to Buy:
*note (7/25): Vizio reps later hedged on whether this set will use a Matsushita panel in final production so this may be subject to change.
