Mitsubishi Bows 92-Inch Rear Projection 3D TV, Readies 3D Content Agreements

Mitsubishi will ship a 92-inch DLP-based 3D TV at midyear, moving rear-projection sets to a larger size to respond to ever-encroaching flat-panel 3D models, the company said on the eve of CES. The 92-inch set, which will use Texas Instruments 0.65-inch DLP chips, will feature 1080p resolution, 120-Hz frame rates and built-in 3D emitter and will be Internet-capable, the company said. Pricing hasn’t been set.

The set also will sport multispeaker immersive sound technology, a subwoofer output and four HDMI inputs, Mitsubishi said. The company struck agreements with two suppliers for 3D programming, Product Development Director David Naranjo told us. He declined to identify the partners. But Wal-Mart’s Vudu, which worked with Mitsubishi last year, unveiled plans for delivering 3D movies starting with three films priced at $6.99 each. Vudu served as the base for Mitsubishi’s Stream TV service last year, providing more than 100 applications for its LCD TVs.

Mitsubishi fielded eight 3D-integrated rear projection TVs last year, starting with a 60-inch model at $1,399. It also marketed a $99 3D adapter for others among its sets. Mitsubishi seems to have slowed its move toward entry-level rear-projection TVs in favor of ever-larger sizes to stay ahead of flat-panel sets in price competition. The company said it will continue with 3D-capable 60-, 65-, 73- and 82-inch sets, the largest a strong seller last year. Mitsubishi’s entry-level 3D-capable 60-inch rear projection TV was promoted at $599 in Black Friday sales in November. “With the economy and all, rear projection still is viable in our markets,” largely because the sets enable customers to get a big screen TV at a lower price, said Daniel Schuh, executive director of AV products at ABC Warehouse in Michigan.

Mitsubishi is the last supplier of rear projection sets, which continue to sell 600,000-700,000 units annually in the U.S., analysts said. “It’s still a very good market for us and it hasn’t been extinct yet,” since flat-panel TVs can’t match the prices in larger sizes, Naranjo said. “The size and value proposition is still very strong."

Despite the emergence of 3D TVs that enable use of cheaper polarized glasses, Mitsubishi will maintain an active-shutter-only line, Naranjo said. Noting that IR-based shutter glasses “definitely have issues” at retail in delivering and demonstrating 3D content, the company will look at additional options this year, said Naranjo, declining to elaborate. RF- and Bluetooth-based active-shutter glasses also are available. Mitsubishi’s rear-projection sets last year had Bluetooth A2DP technology for audio streaming to the TVs from other Bluetooth-equipped devices.

To expand its reach in 3D, Mitsubishi also will ship LCD TVs with 3D technology, Naranjo said. The company didn’t sell 3D-capable LCD TVs in its line of 40-, 46- and 55-inch sets in 2010, but changed strategies this year to stay competitive with the market. Mitsubishi also will continue to market laser-based LaserVue rear-projection TVs this year and will likely field a broader line than the 73- and 65-inch models it sold last year, Naranjo said. The 65-inch and 73-inch sets were promoted by retailers last fall at $2,999 and $4,199, respectively, down from $3,999 and $4,999. While LaserVue was previously limited to Mitsubishi’s Diamond dealers, the model for the select distribution is changing with the growing importance of regional chains like ABC Warehouse, Hhgregg and P.C. Richard & Son, which also sell major appliances, Naranjo said. “Originally Diamond was very AV retailer-centric,” he said. “But that has been changing over the course of the years because you have many regionals that have become so big.”