Audio Video News

Toshiba has announced a new lineup of ten big screen rear-projection televisions built around Texas Instrument's HD2+ digital light processing (DLP) chip.

Due this summer and early fall, the sets will offer comparable (or better) performance to high-definition plasma sets. The DLP sets are less than 16" deep, but offer at significant price savings over flat panels. Toshiba claims to extract improved performance out of the HD2+ chip through the implementation of proprietary technology called the Toshiba Advanced Light Engine (TALEN), said to provide high resolution with enhanced brightness and contrast. The sets also include the new "PixelPure Digital Video Processing Suite," a system that includes 6.2 million pixel oversampling, - for higher perceived resolution with decreased image distortion; "real speed" progressive scanning for smoother diagonal lines; a "Magic Square" algorithm for natural color gradation; a dynamic contrast enhancer; and color and transient detail enhancers.

Further image improvements are due to Toshiba's "TheaterFine" digital fine pitch screen technology with anti-glare coating, yielding "incredible detail and noticeably deeper blacks." A high-brightness DC lamp and Toshiba "Seine" processor round out the technological improvements to the picture.

Features on integrated HDTV sets include ATSC and QAM tuners, which enable the sets to receive both digital terrestrial and digital cable broadcasts; two IEEE1394 ports with DTVLink capability for digital networking and recording. Functional improvements include the TV Guide onscreen interactive program guide. All integrated sets also offer an HDMI digital input, a CableCard slot for digital cable compatibility, "TheaterNet" IR/1394 control system, and "OmniViewer" memory card slot that accepts five types of cards: SD, SM, MS, CF and MM, for easy viewing of JPEG images.

Among the ten new Toshiba models of DLP sets to arrive this year are some in the silver-and-black "Cinema" series - the integrated 52"-diagonal 52HMX84 ($3,799.99, due in August) and 62" 62HMX84 ($4,299.99, September) and two HD monitors - the 52" 52HMX94 ($4,199.99, October) and 62" 62HMX94 (62", $4,699.99, October).

"TheaterWide" DLP units have silver cabinets with a gray bezel. In this series are three HD monitors - the 46" 46HM84 ($2,999.99, August), 52" 52HM84 ($3,499.99, July) and the 62" 62HM84 ($3,999.99, July). Integrated HD models include the 46" 46HM94 ($3,399.99, September), 52" 52HM94 ($3,899.99, September) and 62" 62HM94 ($4,399.99, September).