LAS VEGAS—Toshiba
on Wednesday unveiled several new portable DVD players, DVD recorders,
Internet-enabled sets, and LCD TV combos, including a revamped line of
Regza LCD TVs.
Toshiba will add three new Regza lines in April and May, dubbed the
XV645, ZV650, and SV670 series. All new Regza sets will incorporate
what Toshiba calls "Deep Lagoon" technology, which is intended to
provide better picture quality.
"We're going to take a quantum leap with what Regza is" in 2009, Scott
Ramirez, vice president for TV marketing at Toshiba, said at a press
conference here at the Consumer Electronics Show. "For those who want
the best, they will be looking at Regza."
The Regza XV series will debut in May 2009 and will incorporate
invisible speakers, auto view that will automatically adjust picture
parameters, and a color temperature control that adjusts color based on
the type of lighting in the room. The XV will also include an
insta-port for faster HDMI switching.
The Regza ZV series, expected to hit shelves in April 2009, will
include XV features as well as ClearScan 240 technology, which will add
backlight scanning to cut down on possible blurring. The ZV will also
include Dolby Volume sound control, and expert mode for specific
adjustments, a USB port, and SD card.
The Regza SV670 series, meanwhile, will debut in May 2009 and will have
an "infinity flush" front design that takes TV picture to the very edge
of the set.
"There is a sheath and glass all across the front, so it's one clear picture," Ramirez said.
The SV670 also includes full matrix LED backlight, FocaLight LED Backlight with local dimming, and a high-gloss lack back.
Pricing for the new Regza sets was not discussed, though Toshiba did
provide some insight on that front for its line of regular LCD TVs.
Toshiba already offers a 15-inch LCD TV combo, but will expand that
line to offer 19-, 22-, and 26-inch models – all available in either
high-gloss black or high-gloss white.
The 26-inch LV610U model will be available in March for $549.99. It
features a 16:9 widescreen display, HDMI and PC inputs, and thin
chassis depth.
The 22-inch models will debut in April and retail for $449.99, while
the 19-inch sets will roll out in April and May for $349.99.
On the DVD front, Toshiba will introduce two DVD players in February:
the SD4200 for $39.99 and SD7200 for $59.99. Two new portable DVD
players will be available in March: the SDP72S for $129.99 and the
SDP93S for $179.99. The company will also release four DVD recorders
over the next several months – the DR420 in February for $119.99, the
DVR670 in March for $249.99, and the DR570 and DVR620 in April for
$179.99.
The SDP93S nine-inch portable player includes a white finish and
180-degree widescreen LCD swivel, dual headphone outputs, and support
for JPEG and MP3 playback. Battery life is expected to be five hours.
Ramirez also touted Toshiba's Cell TV set-top box, which is essentially a super DVR.
"Cell TV in the U.S. can do six HD images simultaneously," he said.
"You're going on vacation and don't know what to watch. You tell [Cell
TV] to record ABC, Discovery, etc. for all primetime, every night all
week. You come home and you have a grid."
Recorded shows can be watched in different rooms from different TVs
without delay and without a 3D graphical interface. It includes an LED
backlight, and will be available sometime in 2009, Ramirez said.
"This is not your standard TV," he said.
Cell TV will also incorporate Internet access, as will a new line of
A/V devices set to launch in the second half of 2009. These devices
will include LCD TV, LCD TV/DVD combo, and standalone network players
that support the Widget Channel applications from Intel and Yahoo and
Extender for Windows Media Center technology.
Intel and Yahoo made a surprise announcement in August 2008
to co-develop the Yahoo Widget Channel, a technology that would allow
TVs to connect to the Internet to access "widgets," bits of software
that would add value to the TV software experience. Motorola, Samsung,
and Toshiba all endorsed the technology at its launch.
Toshiba's network player solution will be developed to be compatible with Windows Vista Home Premium, Windows Vista Ultimate and Windows 7, the company said.
source : http://www.pcmag.com/
