Mitsubishi Plans 3D-Ready 75-Inch LaserVue TV, Dealers Say
Mitsubishi’s LaserVue TV will make another run at the rear projection market, this time with a 3D-ready 75-inch model priced at $5,999, said dealers briefed on the plans. The set, part of the A91 series, will feature StreamTV that provides access to 100 streaming applications including Flickr, Facebook, Pandora and Twitter.
The plans represent a shift from earlier strategies to offer a 65-inch model, too, and the set will require a separate adapter to receive 3D programming, dealers said. Frank DeMartin, Mitsubishi vice president of marketing, declined to comment. The adapter is expected to be sold in a $399 bundle with two pairs of 3D glasses and a demo disc, retailers said.
Mitsubishi has promised to offer LaserVue sets at a “more practical price point” this year (CED Jan 7 p4). Since announcing plans for LaserVue in 2006, Mitsubishi has struggled with the product line. The company stopped shipments after finding a glitch in the equipment used to make the sets. It also postponed from last fall shipping new 67- and 73-inch models. Earlier last year it cut the price of the original 65-inch set last year $1,000 to $5,999, which seemed to raise sales, company officials said.
Mitsubishi, which has been selling 3D-capable DLP-based rear projection TVs for several years, will continue the push this year. The 738 series and 838 series of rear-projection TVs will require adapters at first. But the TVs are expected to get a firmware upgrade in June, July or August that will make the device unnecessary, retailers said.
The 738 and 838 series will support side-by-side 3D signal checkerboard formats, dealers said. The adapter will initially be required to play back other 3D formats, including top-bottom and frame packing used in new 3D Blu-ray Disc players, retailers said. The 738 series includes 1080p 60-, 65- ($1,799), 73- ($2,399) and 82-inch ($3,799) models that feature StreamTV and DeepField Imager and that are compatible with a USB 802.11n wireless adapter. The high-end Diamond 838 sets include 65- ($2,199), 73- ($2,799) and 82-inch ($4,499) models that add the 32-watt, 16-Speaker Immersive sound package, Bluetooth A2DP audio streaming, four HDMI connectors with CEC and NetCommand. The immersive technology offers variable subwoofer output and a center channel mode.
The entry-level 638 series will have 60- ($1,199), 65- ($1,499) and 73-inch ($1,999) sets. The TVs will have three HDMI connectors and CEC. Mitsubishi created a variant of the 638 series for Costco and Aaron Rents -- called C10 -- that features the same sizes but with a different design, dealers said. Mitsubishi has already been selling rear-projection TVs through Costco, but will deliver a wider selection this year.
Mitsubishi is the only remaining supplier of rear-projection sets in the U.S. With annual U.S. sales at 400,000-500,000 units, dealers said, demand persists for the TVs. “We still sell hundreds and hundreds of them every month, but as LCD and plasma TVs move to 65-inch and larger sizes there is getting to be less room for them,” a West Coast retailer said.
In LCD TVs, Mitsubishi Unisen sets will feature LED edge lighting and the 16-speaker Immersive sound system. The 154, 164 and Diamond 265 TVs will contain 120 Hz panels, StreamTV, four HDMI connectors, 12-bit video processing, Deep Color and x.v. color support. The 154 line has a 55-inch model ($2,499). The 164 series has 40- ($1,699), 46- ($2,099) and 55-inch ($2,699) models. Both lines have wireless Internet and Bluetooth A2DP audio. The Diamond TVs including 46- ($2,499) and 55-inch ($3,199) sets, which add 240 Hz panels and an 18-speaker Immersive Sound system.